


The Legacy of the Five Champions

by KusanoSaku



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Bad Ass Parseltongues, Being LGBTIAQ Is Socially Acceptable, Dumbledore-bashing, Exploring One's Sexuality, F/M, Fake Mad-Eye is an Abusive Bastard, Five Triwizard Champions, Foul Language, Fourth School, Ginny-Bashing, Goblet of Fire AU, Grey Harry, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Independant Harry, Internalized Acephobia, LGBTIAQ characters, M/M, Molly Weasley Bashing, OC Wizarding School, Past Child Abuse, Power-tripping Dumbledore, Ron-bashing, Shameless abuse of wandless magic, Slytherin Hogwarts Champion, Transphobia, Triwizard Tournament, Wizarding Culture, Wizarding Politics, implied internalized homophobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2017-04-20
Packaged: 2018-09-11 15:03:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 14
Words: 21,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8991034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KusanoSaku/pseuds/KusanoSaku
Summary: A Great-Uncle of Severus' who works in the secretive branch of Magical Law Enforcement has become concerned that not only has Voldemort returned but that he plans to infiltrate the Triwizard Tournament. HE is unable to get an operative into Hogwarts so he asks for Battle Wizard Academy students from Tartarus to enter the Tournament to investigate. One of them, Nemo, a wizard with no information as to his origins has a secondary objective: Locate and guard one Harry Potter. How does his presence and guidance change Harry's destiny?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [donnethan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/donnethan/gifts).



Prologue

 

General Hayashi Kurosawa frowned, “Are you certain?”

 

“Yes, I have an operative tracking the Dark Lord Voldemort. His former Supporters are congregating and I have my suspicions that they will come out of the shadows. I can’t place any of my own men in Hogwarts. However, your students are far more advanced and they are trained so that they go straight into service by passing tests and training.” Magnus Aurelius Prince said stiffly. “My distant relative Sirius Titus Black was sent here years ago…after graduation he vanished and the Headship of the Black Family passed to his brother who rose to be Headmaster of Hogwarts. My grandson now attends there and I would feel more at ease if I knew that persons with the training of your students would be there.”

 

“Very well, how many schools are participating?” The General asked.

 

“Three, it’s called the Triwizard because it has representatives from the three largest schools of magic the Durmstrang Institute, Beauxbatons Academy and Hogwarts School of Magic.” Magnus Prince said stiffly.

 

“Well they’ll be needing to rename it this time. You have all of the paperwork I need?”

 

Magnus Prince pulled it from his robes, “Yes thankfully your school is sovereign and isn’t subject to oversight from any Ministry.”

 

Kurosawa shrugged, “We were formed by a member of the International Confederation of Wizards and not by members of a particular country. We have professors from all over the world, the best in their fields.”

 

“Keep an eye on Moody, he’s always been a strange one, a bit mad that one. He tried to join our ranks but my predecessor laughed at him. Moody has, so I’ve heard, agreed to teach Defence at Hogwarts this year.”

 

“Moody, we’ll be sure to inform our students to keep an eye on him. How many are the other schools bringing?” Kurosawa asked thoughtful.

 

“Twelve I believe was the last number I heard.” Magnus Prince shrugged.

 

“Twelve is far too many of my students; they would turn on each other. I think five would be the proper number.” Kurosawa snickered, “I already know one off the top of my head. Any requirements for participation I ought to be aware of?”

 

“They have to be legally of age, in the sense that they no longer have an active trace.” Magnus Prince frowned.

 

“That’s easy, it varies by the student but given that we start at ten well most have it off by thirteen. I’m definitely bringing _that_ student; I’m suspicious that his origins are British after all.” Kurosawa mused.

 

“Then there is the matter of transportation…” Magnus Prince said thoughtfully. “Beauxbatons is arriving by carriage and Durmstrang by boat.”

 

“In that case, we’ll be needing a portkey.” Kurasawa shrugged.

 

“I’ll send one.” Magnus Prince promised as he bowed before taking his leave.

 

XoooooX

 

When Magnus Prince asked to hire him to investigate rumours at Hogwarts about the Dark Lord Voldemort and his reconstituted Death Eaters, General Kurosawa hadn’t expected the wizard’s worries to have merit.

 

That is until a copy of the Daily Prophet was delivered by house elf.

 

Pictures, rather grainy but proof enough, of Death Eaters at the World Cup.

 

Idiots, when would Dark Wizards learn? Most suffered from an excess of hubris and arrogance.

 

Kurosawa doubled his preparations; they were going to move to a few arranged apartments in London.

 

His students would be on the Hogwarts Express come September 1…

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 

General Kurosawa had a portkey from Tartarus to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, King’s Cross Station; London set for 1:30am Los Angeles time so that they would arrive at nine thirty London time.

 

Once they arrived, Kurosawa glowered at his five students.

 

“Nemo, Mr. Dean, Mr. Samuels, Mr. Black and Mr. Joubert your ages are of no consequence. I want you to blend in. the objective of this portion of your assignment is to infiltrate the Hogwarts Express and not be detected as a non-student. You may cast spells to make your face hard to remember, a rigid system such as Hogwarts will likely not mingle outside their own House. You are to learn what you can about Hogwarts without revealing yourselves. We are not going to arrive officially until after Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. We are late to enter this completion by comparison and it would not due to be overshadowing the other students. If anyone asks why so few were chosen,”

 

“You had such high standards and only the five of us passed. We are the best of our years respectively and all have field experience.” Nemo yawned.

 

“As you say. You will not be alone, if you need anything I, Andre and Rio will be present as well.

 

Some of the older students sniggered while the youngest of the Prospective Tartarus Champion growled.

 

Andre or Alexandre Joubert, Maximiano Joubert’s elder brother was a legend for beginning a sexual relationship with Tartarus’ Battle Healer instructor Rio Baines _before_ graduation.

 

In fact, they were still together despite the scandal but it was an old scandal after all.

 

Once they were dismissed, the Tartareans made their way into the train.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

When the Tartareans arrived at Hogwarts, they were surprised to find the carriages were drawn by Thestals. 

 

They congregated together reluctantly and claimed the last carriage along with their mission leaders.

 

Whoever heard of infiltrating a Magical competition to look for information regarding a Dark Lord…?

 

The moonlight showed the outline of a huge Abraxan-drawn carriage in the sky as well a ship emerging from the lake.

 

The ship was lashed to the dock and the carriage landed on the Great courtyard just outside the huge oak front doors.

 

First the blue silk-clad students entered the castle, with Durmstrang not far behind curiously.

 

Tartarus shadowed them in.

 

“From Southern France, Beauxbatons Academy.”

 

“Yes yes, their Headmistress Olympe Maxime.”

 

There were loud mutters from inside what must be the castle’s Great Hall.

 

“From the Berent Sea, Durmstrang Institute and their High Master Igor Karkaroff.”

 

The General entered the Great Hall just behind them trailed by Battle Healer Rio and Battle Wizard Andre Joubert.

 

The five Tartarean students weren’t far behind.

 

 They were greeted with stares rather than cheers.

 

“From America, honourary entrants to the Triwizard Tournament.” The tall elderly bearded wizard with terrible fashion sense, presumably the Headmaster.

 

“I am General Hayashi Kurosawa of Tartarus, my fellow instructors Battle Healer Rio Baines and Battle Wizard Andre Joubert. Our students…”

 

“Only five?” the Highmaster of Durmstrang frowned.

 

“They were the only ones I deemed worthy of this assignment and could take the extended leave from campus.”

 

“Izn’t zis an ‘onour rather zen an assignment?” the giant of a headmistress blinked.

 

The General snickered, “Tomato, tomato.”

 

“We were surprised at the addition…of a fourth school is highly irregular and especially one from so far away.”

 

“Aren’t they rather young?” a woman in green tartan robes asked.

 

“My students are all of age under their respective Ministry jurisdiction.” The general said smugly. “I doubt your students could defeat them in a duel.”

 

“Very well. Which house do you think your students would suit?”

 

Nemo spotted their green-eyed target, “That one.”

 

“Gryffindor? I suppose for a Battle Wizards Academy it makes sense…” the host Headmaster snorted.

 

A bushy honey-haired witch a bit older than Nemo beamed at him, “I’ve never heard of Tartarus. Where is it?”

 

“Off of the South Coast of California, near Los Angeles.” Max Joubert drawled.

 

“Why are you here then?” a snarky lanky redheaded boy asked.

 

Nemo snorted, “An assignment.”

 

“You certainly have unusual eyes…” the bushy-haired witch mused.

 

“The better to see through people with.” Nemo hissed.

 

With the three guest schools present, they were welcomed almost reluctantly and the meal appeared.

 

This would be a very different assignment then what they usually had…

 

XoooooX

 

Since their secondary target was in Gryffindor, the Tartareans fell in with their host House.

 

A cocoa-tinted skin witch with braids welcomed them and invited the Tartareans to follow her and the First Years up to the Tower.

 

Angelina Johnson was the witch’s name, not that Nemo cared over much.

 

He had noticed an acquaintance from a previous assignment and current penpal wearing green.

 

A connection that might be exploited to succeed in his current mission…

 

The password was Balderdash and the entrance hidden behind a portrait.

 

Rather fanciful but not interesting…

 

By comparison, Hogwarts was too comfortable.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nemo finds out the weasel is inciting the subject to cheat. He teaches the three a lesson while shaming them in the Gryffindor common room and combats transphobia. When did this become part of his assignment?

Chapter 3

 

Each of the five Tartareans were assigned a year to oversee and were to spend one week a month auditing the lessons.

 

To Nemo’s annoyance he wasn’t assigned his source’s class, rather he ended up with their secondary target’s year so he was to attend classes with the Fourth Year Gryffindors. Yet what week of the month he would attend while he studied their pathetic excuse for an education system was his choice.

 

The students were too innocent, they had comfortable lives and despite the Riot which not all of them had experienced and something called the Opening of the Chamber of Secrets which resulted in five students being attacked the place seemed boring.

 

There was little interesting about his secondary target…

 

He felt there was something unhealthy about Potter’s friendship with Ron Weasley.

 

Hanging around Gryffindor Tower, he watched that Weasel sabotage Potter’s homework.

“Come on Harry, let’s go flying. We haven’t gone in ages.”

 

“Ron,” Hermione Granger sighed, “what about Snape’s essay? Have you even started it?”

 

“We can do it later.” Ron said dismissively.

 

“Meaning you want me to fix or finish it.” Hermione muttered darkly.

 

Nemo couldn’t hold his tongue, “Really?” he drawled, “I didn’t know that was acceptable here.”

 

“What is acceptable?” one of Ron Weasel’s twin brothers asked.

 

“Making someone do all or part of your schoolwork.”

 

“Who asked you? Who are you anyway and why are you sticking your nose in things that don’t concern you?” Ron snarled.

 

“I didn’t know it was a secret.” Nemo drawled. “At Tartarus if anyone was found to turn in work that wasn’t entirely their own, not only was their own essay destroyed but their entire year’s and we lost a full letter grade despite our own work when we submitted fresh essays. We self-policed if only because we wanted to be graded on our ability rather than punished for another’s laziness.”

 

Granger’s reaction was pure horror, “Your essay would be destroyed and you’d lose points even if you weren’t involved?”

 

“You’re involved if even you aren’t the cheater or the facilitator, because you’re guilty of collaboration if you turn a blind eye to such despicable behaviour. You live or die depending on how reliable your compatriots are. If you can’t be trusted to do your own work when it’s only an essay, then who would trust you in the field? Everyone must write their own reports, if you don’t watch one another’s back and no one watches yours, which results in failure due to injury or death.” Nemo retorted disdainfully.

 

“We’re only students…” Ron snorted, “…not Aurors.”

 

“Aurors, we’re already doing missions while students. We’re battle wizard candidates; when we graduate we go straight into positions of Auror, Hit Wizards, Battle Wizards and even private investigators. We’re already trained and we’re promoted faster because we don’t need our hands held as if we’re still children. Grow up already, life isn’t fair. You can’t hide behind being a child forever, you have to take responsibility for your own life. When do you have decide your futures? This year? Next year? You’ll never be a respectable adult if you make excuses or dodge your responsibilities. As this is a first offense and you clearly don’t know any better.”

 

Nemo summoned the three of their homework and lit them on fire. 

 

Granger acted as if she had been stabbed or her heart ripped out, Potter looked on confused and then resigned while the baby male Weasel lunged across the common room as to physically attack him.

 

Nemo snapped his fingers and Weasel was encased in his bubble caught mid-lunge.

 

Nemo flicked him over to his indignant brother, “He’s lucky I’m under orders to behave or else I would punish more appropriately.” He muttered release in Latin.

 

Weasel was dumped at the twin’s feet.

 

“Now I have to do my homework all over again…” Granger sighed.

 

“Better not let me think you’re doing this again or not only will I be informing McGonagall, I’ll incinerate all of Gryffindor’s homework.” Nemo snorted.

 

The House’s common room filled with whispers and other sounds expressing discontent.

 

“I thought Gryffindor was supposed to be the honourable house….” Nemo grumbled, “I don’t see why you don’t understand something as simple as the pride of doing your own work.”

 

Potter sighed, “Hermione, can I ask you to keep my broom for me for a while? I can have it back if I do all of my homework. I know I was a bit of a jerk last year for siding with Ron and I really feel awful about your homework. Can we work together?”

 

Nemo yawned, “That cleared up, I’ll go bother Cris.”

 

A fifth year Gryffindor pipped up, “You mean Cristina?”

 

Nemo growled, “I mean Cris. You must be one of his idiot cousins, Egs?”

 

The Gryffindor stomped, “Don’t call me Egs, my name is Edward!”

 

“Aren’t you a bit childish to be a prefect?” Nemo said dismissively.

 

“It’s getting close to curfew…” the elder Weasley frowned.

 

“I’m a Tartarus student, your squib caretaker and his cat would never see me coming. If I decide coming back’s too much trouble, I’ll just kick Cris out of his bed.” Nemo shrugged.

 

Egs sputtered about morality and girls.

 

Nemo spun around, his eyes narrowing even as Egs’ throat squeezed shut, “Never call Cris a female again. If you are that foolish, you can try being female until I feel you’ve suffered enough. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve had enough sanctimonious behaviour. I guess it’s time to slum as you would say Weasel with the snakes.”

 

XoooooX

 

Nemo had memorized this place as best one could when the staircase rearranged itself, the trick steps moved and walls sometimes masqueraded as doors.

 

He slunk into the dungeons and located Cris’ apartment by the taste of his source’s magic.

 

To his bemusement, Sasashima wasn’t alone.

 

Cris no doubt had some jutsu related password knowing him, Nemo knew that one of the Founders likely Slytherin was a parseltongue so he hissed at the entrance to Cris’ apartment and it opened immediately.

 

Interesting, that meant that he didn’t have to know a password. That would make entering anywhere normally restricted easier…

 

Nemo entered the apartment and left his shoes in the genkan before calling out, “Oy Cris!”

 

“Ku-san? Come in. I learned a new jutsu over the summer. I was just showing off. The boys’ prefect asked Kudo to look after me because we’re Japanese. This place is so backwards…”

 

“Tell me about it. I had to deal with a few miscreant Gryffindors who thought it was acceptable to plageriaze.”

 

Cris groaned, “What did you do?”

 

Nemo snickered, “Taught them a lesson in Tartarean fashion. All I did was burn their homework and embarrass them in the common room. I warned them if they did it again, I’d tell McGonagall on them and burn all of Gryffindor’s homework.”

 

“That’s mild for you.” Cris muttered darkly.

 

“It worked somewhat, Granger and Potter immediately went to work on redoing their homework like good children. Baby boy Weasel took exception to my lesson, trying to pull the ‘we’re children’ card.” Nemo shrugged.

 

“Against you?” Cris snorted, “That was foolish…”

 

“and he tried to retaliate. Baby boy Weasel is a millennium too early for that.”

 

Cris groaned, “Tell me you didn’t exterminate.”

 

Nemo acted as if offended, “I was ordered to behave, I was only teaching a lesson in respect. I dumped him on one of his brothers, the bent one, George I think it was. I came here to get away from self-righteous prats who don’t have the faintest idea about personal honor or self-respect. I met your prig of a cousin.”

 

“Which one? EMS or Egs?”

 

“Egs, he tried to call you a girl to my face and got all offended when I said if I was too lazy to make my way back to the tower I’d kick you out of your bed.”

 

Cris flinched, grumbling, “You would too.”

 

“Of course, of course I might decide to use my animagus form to explore the castle instead. I got in here using parseltongue, I’m curious what I might discover…”

 

“Oh sounds like fun; I wonder what my henge jutsu animal is…”

 

“My animagus form is a snake not that it matters. Well I finished all of my requisite homework and my interference tonight might have earned me a place in Potter’s circle.” Nemo yawned. “Ignore me; I’m going to snake out under your kotatsu.”

 

“Not going to kick me out of my bed then?”

 

“Considered it, but a kotatsu trumps a bed any day. Good night Cris.”

 

“Night Ku-san.”

 

 

  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Possible triggers for a return of a transphobic character...
> 
> Nemo is not perfect; he has character flaws and he most certainly has little idea how to interact with persons his own age especially those who are civilians. His interactions with Harry and Hermione mostly are meant to humanize him. Even if he has weird quirks like nicknaming others... in a possibly not polite way. Then again Nemo has never claimed to be a nice person...

Chapter 4

 

“I heard that Tartarean hadn’t gone back to the Tower but really?” that female Stewart, who reminded him of a gnat complained loud enough to wake him up. Precisely because she did nothing of obvious value since she hadn’t realised that subject and cretin were essentially cheating in front of her. Yet insisted on making persistent and annoying noise…

 

Nemo yawned, shifting back into his human body complete with his clothes that had been folded neatly beside him. “What do you want gnat?”

 

He had of course chosen to sleep in his animagus form mostly under Cris’ kotatsu, a choice he was regretting because of this gnat.

 

“Don’t call me that! What sort of representative do you think you are?”

 

“I’m Cris’ friend and what right do you have to barge in here anyway?”

 

“I’m here to make sure that Cris doesn’t continue to shame us.”

 

Nemo snickered, “Cris? Shame you? I think inviting yourself into his home without his approval is rude.”

 

Completely ignoring that he had done the same last night.

 

“As if your arbitrarily destroying students’ homework and insulting a prefect wasn’t rude enough…” Cris’ cousin the gnat muttered.

 

“What are you doing here EMS?” Cris yawned after sleepily entering the presumed parlour area from the stairs leading up to his bedroom presumably.

 

“I had to be sure that you weren’t being taken advantage of by this, WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?”

 

“Boxers and an A-shirt, what is it to you?” Cris glowered.

 

“You’re a girl, it’s not appropriate! And is that Kudo behind you?”

 

“It was late, he slept over. So, what?”

 

“So, what you had two wizards sleep over? Do you know what this will do to your reputation?” the gnat asked shrilly.

 

Nemo held out a hand, stealing her voice, “That’s enough. How many times do I have to tell you Stewarts not to call Cris a witch or a female? Cris is male, just look at him! He dresses male, he acts male and he’s registered as male. Get that through your head gnat. Now if you even think of telling anyone about this, your silence will be prolonged. Now get out.”

 

He didn’t feel the need to be explicit in what she was forbidden to speak of; as far as he was concerned she was not to mention his or Kudo’s presence in Cris’ apartment, discuss Cris’ choice in sleepwear or above all, his animagus form. He cursed, if he’d known that the gnat could get in here he would have kicked Cris out his bed. He was very protective of anyone knowing his animagus form…

 

“I think I’ll go change the password to a jutsu so she can’t use her prefect authority to enter my apartment.” Cris grumbled, “Then I’ll make breakfast, are you staying Nemo?”

 

“I don’t have anything better to do.” Nemo shrugged, “Aside from maybe commandeering your shower.”

 

“Help yourself.” Cris snorted before forcibly dragging his idiot cousin, that gnat out and clearly revising his password. He better or else…

 

XoooooX

 

“Nemo?” Granger squeaked at him when he entered the Great Hall.

 

Baby boy weasel glowered at him while Potter seemed intrigued.

 

“What Granger?” Nemo yawned, it was lunchtime and he was bored.

 

“I want to thank you…my parents would be so disappointed with me. I knew it was wrong but I was afraid to refuse. I won’t do it again and Harry promised to do homework with me between and after classes.” she said nervously.

 

“What about the ginger idiot?” Nemo drawled.

 

“Still furious at you for being a nosy git!” Ron spat.

 

The idiot earned a double slap from his bookend twin brothers.

 

“Ignore him,” the bent twin advised, “we kept him up all night writing his own essays.”

 

“Yeah, unlike these idiots who seemed to have learned their lesson, he wasn’t allowed to sleep after.” The mirror twin added.

 

“Right slave drivers they are.” Baby boy weasel snipped.

 

“You shouldn’t have given them reason.” Nemo yawned, “I guess you deserve to be called the least of the Weasleys. After all, your only claim to fame is what? Being friends with the third most famous wizard in Britain? Someone famous for something they can’t even remember? While he clearly has untapped potential, as long as someone is bringing him down, he’ll never reach it.”

 

Since baby boy weasel had yet to learn his lesson and Nemo was disgusted at himself for not being harsh enough the previous night. He wandlessly and non-verbally cast a confundus charm on the brat.

 

Let him miss class and earn detention cleaning the dirtiest place in Hogwarts the Muggle way…

 

Nemo was minorly curious to find out what place baby boy weasel considered the dirtiest place in Hogwarts.

 

Baby boy weasel almost resembled a Muggle zombie as he stumbled out of the Great Hall.

 

Nemo let Granger and Potter offer him a seat and sat to enjoy his breakfast before he had to attend the lessons that the General set up.

 

This might be interesting…

 

But then again, maybe not…

 

 


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 

By Monday of his second week at Hogwarts, Nemo had nicknamed all the Weasleys.

 

His original code names were inefficient to depict his true feelings.

 

Baby boy weasel had become cretin; bent twin was hair twin, it was a tiny bit less curly; oblivious twin was blue twin due to his eyes and girl weasel had been downgraded to redshe because she whinged and shrieked putting him in mind of a baby banshee.

 

For missing classes to scrub the owlery of all things by hand, which took all day, the cretin had earned shoveling Abraxan dung from their paddock to put on those pumpkins the groundskeeper was raising. Apparently, if the cretin wanted to clean shit so much the professors were happy to oblige only not during school hours.

 

Granger was slightly surprised when he followed them along to lessons and asked if he wanted to work with them for their Herbology practical lesson.

 

When cretin opened his mouth to complain, he just happened to trip and roll down the front steps of the castle. Cracking both his head on a step and his wrist when he landed…

 

Nemo was almost certain that he had nothing to do with that, not consciously…

 

“Oh dear.” Nemo frowned, “Better head to the infirmary and get that looked at.”

 

Granger eeped at the time and grabbed Potter’s hand dragging him along…

 

Nemo had nothing better to do but to follow and replacing the cretin would make succeeding at his secondary mission all the easier. Perhaps, the first as well…

 

After living here for a few years, it was likely that Potter at least knew about the layout of this castle.

 

Although Nemo was determined to explore this place top to bottom, an insider source would make his assignment easier…

 

“Each of your team members are assigned a bubotuber a piece and needed to squeeze the puss into vials.” The pudgy dirt-covered Professor Sprout said overly brightly.

                                            

How boring and menial…

 

This was beyond elementary, then again what does one expect of a civilian school?

 

Nemo snorted with disdain.

 

XoooooX

 

After a double period of mind-numbingly boring Herbology, came Magical Creatures…

 

The first thing Nemo noticed was the small explosions…

 

“Where’s Ron?” the groundskeeper/professor frowned.

 

“He was injured before Herbology, haven’t seen him all morning.” Potter shrugged.

 

“Oh, was hoping he’d be excited about me new critters.”

 

Granger frowned, “What creature have you added now Hagrid?”

 

“Blast-ended Skwerts!” the oaf who was clearly half-giant announced excitedly.

 

Nemo snorted, “What are they? Never heard of them.”

 

“They’re,” Hagrid blinked, “Who’re you?”

 

“Nemo.” The Tartarean deadpanned.

 

“Nemo? Nemo who?” Hagrid frowned.

 

Hermione choked on a giggle, “His name is Nemo, just Nemo and it means no one I believe.”

 

“Yes, I’m a Tartarus student assigned to sit-in on Fourth Year lessons for educational purposes.”

 

“Tartarus? Whot’s that?”

 

“A Battle Wizard Academy, we seem to have fundamentally different approaches to education. Hogwarts primarily raises civilians while Tartarus trains Hit Wizards, Aurors and other investigators.”

 

“Really now? Where are ya from?”

 

“America.” Nemo yawned, eager to have this conversation over with so he could investigate those Skwerts.

 

“Whot’s an American school be doing muscling in on the Triwizard? Why be in at all?”

 

Nemo shrugged, “You’re welcome to ask the General but I don’t think he’d find time for an interview with you.”

 

“Why’s that?” Hagrid asked gruffly.

 

“General be having more important matters to attend to.”

 

“Fine.” Hagrid muttered, “We be raising Blast-ended Skwerts this year. We’ll be needing to figure out what they like to eat and other stuff.”

 

“What do you mean we have to figure how what to feed them? Hagrid!” Granger chided.

 

“’s not so bad, just watch out for their stingers and their blasts. Pretty sure the females have tha stingers and the males the blasts.” Hagrid jabbered.

 

“They’re hideous Hagrid…” the Irish wizard, Finnegan muttered.

 

So they were since the Skwerts were strange pale, slimy shell-less lobstrocities with legs at odd angles and about six inches long with tempers. They looked like something that might be imagined by Stephen King... perhaps the sort of creature in The Mist?

 

“You’d think he’d learn after letting us around the Hippogriff that,” the tall dark-skinned Gryffindor wizard, Thomas mused.

 

The oaf started to tear up causing Thomas to bit his tongue.

 

Nemo was confused about that, he waited until Potter and Granger tentatively were approaching the Skwerts before asking in an undertone.

 

“So, what’s the story about this Hagrid’s hippogriff?”

 

“It’s all Malfoy’s fault.” Granger hissed, “He ignored Hagrid and insulted a Hippogriff.”

 

“Did the Hippogriff kill him or slice his arm off?” Nemo asked curiously.

 

“Ne…neither.” Potter frowned, “It was just a scratch!”

 

Nemo snorted, “Either you’re stupid or someone lied. Insulting a Hippogriff is hazardous to your health. Their talons are sword sharp unless you manage to do the nigh impossible and clip them like some morons do to cats.”

 

Granger gaped at him, “Who would do that do a cat? It’s cruel!”

 

“Are you trying to catch mosquitoes?” Nemo snorted as he referred to her open mouth, “So did he get killed or was his arm sliced off?”

 

“Finally, someone attached to Gryffindor with a brain.”

 

Nemo glanced up, “And you are?”

 

“Draco Malfoy. You’re from Tartarus, right?” a blond wizard who might be considered decent looking drawled.

 

Nemo nodded, “Nemo and I see that you _can_ hear. So why did you try to bait a Hippogriff? Did you have a suicide wish?”

 

Malfoy flinched, “That was what my Aunt said, after of course Healer Smythe had to fix my arm.”

 

Potter frowned, “Why not Pomfrey? Or are you too good for her?”

 

“She cocked it up, too much whiskey in her tea.” Malfoy shrugged.

 

“How did she mess up?” Granger asked uneasily.

 

“She only healed the skin injury, entirely missed that the brute’s talon sliced halfway through my arm at an angle. Cut through my ulna like butter it did…” Malfoy muttered rubbing his arm.

 

Nemo stalked up to Malfoy, pulled up the Slytherin’s sleeve to examine his arm. “He may be a fool but he’s not lying. Probably lost some dexterity due to the injury, only a full healer could treat an injury that bad. Did they put it down? Is that why Hagrid’s upset?”

 

Potter looked away, “Oh Buckbeak? He escaped; the guy who puts down Magical Creatures was furious.”

 

“I think Malfoy suffered enough having nearly lost his arm, I’m surprised he’s continuing this class. Unless perhaps, he learned his lesson?” Nemo asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

“I learned I don’t like Hippogriffs…” Malfoy muttered as he wrenched his arm free with a wince.

 

“Careful now, don’t reinjure it.” Nemo half-taunted.

 

The food choices that Hagrid provided were quite the assortment and by the end of class they learned that both genders of the Blast-ended Skwert disliked cabbage leaves and they smelled like rotten fish. 

 

Nemo could see some uses to them depending on how they matured that is…

 

Yet he was glad to escape the smell by the time lunch rolled around.

           

XoooooX

 

The cretin finally showed up during lunch with a poor me tale and had proceeded to pout about Harry having dropped Divination. Which made little sense considering that it ought to have been dropped over the summer.

 

Harry looked a bit lonely when cretin headed off to Divination and Granger to Ancient Runes alone.

 

Nemo yawned, “So what are you going to do now?”

 

Harry sighed, “I don’t know…I’m too behind to join Hermione’s class and I have a few packets because I can’t fit the appropriate Runes class in my schedule. It’s very much over my head…I should have taken up Runes when she did.”

 

“I happen to be quite good at Runes. I even create my own spells. Since I don’t want to follow either of them, I’ll just help you with those packets.” Nemo offered gruffly.

 

Harry beamed at him, “Thanks Nemo. You’re not a bad guy…”

 

Nemo scoffed, “I’m not a nice one either.”

 

 


	7. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Unforgivables Lesson, the day before Halloween/Samhain which is the Drawing of the Champions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a very Dark take on this lesson. Barty Crouch is a very cruel person beneath his Polyjuiced disguise as Mad-Eye Moody. This is meant to be traumatizing... to some of the students at least.

Chapter 6

 

The week of Samhain, Nemo was surprised when Hogwarts' mad ex-Auror defense professor personally invited him to sit in on today's lesson.

 

Curious, Nemo tagged along with cretin, Granger and subject to their Defense lesson.

 

Moody's eyes seem to linger on Nemo a bit too much in his personal opinion as he announced the lesson's topic.

 

"Unforgivables, the Ministry and the Board of Governors claim you are too young for these. I say different...do you agree Mr. Nemo?"

 

Nemo snorted, "Not for me to say. Different educational institutions have different curriculum. The name is Nemo, just Nemo."

 

Moody growled, "I see. Now who can name an Unforgivable? Granger?"

 

Granger frowned, "Ron's dad has complained about the Imperious on occasion..."

 

Moody sneered, "He would know all about the trouble that one caused, now wouldn't he? That is before he chose to claim it irresponsible for a sire of so many mouths to feed to be chasing Dark Wizards night and day."

 

Cretin flinched in the edge of Nemo's line of sight.

 

Moody's eyes flashed, "Longbottom! Give us a curse."

 

Longbottom trembled, "The...Cru...cio..."

 

"Yes, that one would make an impression on you now, wouldn't it? There is one last Unforgivable curse, to which there has only been one known survivor. Nemo," Moody sneered, "will you give us the last Unforgivable curse?"

 

Nemo yawned, "The Killing curse, avada kadavra."

 

Some of the classes whimpered while others gasped.

 

Nemo snorted, "I am not touching my wand and you have to mean the incantations to have an effect. Hence why they are Unforgivable, I have to want someone dead were I to cast it."

 

"During the war, members of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement were allowed to cast The Unforgivables if in mortal danger. Ever cast them Nemo? They can give one a rush, you hold a person's life in your grasp." Moody coughed, "Death Eaters quickly became addicted..."

 

Nemo shrugged, "Yes, I know the incantations and yes, I know the effects of casting on both the caster and the victim. I think that using either is boring. If you have to result to such predictable spells, then you are unimaginative."

 

Moody sniffed, "I see. Now that we've named them, you ought know their effects as does this one."

 

Moody summoned a jar with a spider, unscrewing the lid and allowing it to clamber on his arm even as he cast the engorio on it.

 

"Now," Moody said licking his lips, "Imperio!"

 

The class of Gryffindors and Slytherins began to awkwardly laugh as the spider was made to jump impossible distances, flips and crawl all over the girls before diving down the screeching cretin's shirt.

 

"Think it's funny, do you? How if I tell it to dive down Weasley's throat and suffocate him? Drown the spider in a cup of tea. One could order another to kill, torture or cause other mayhem. Now for the next...Crucio..."

 

Nemo ignored the scratching yelps from the spider and the audience of shocked students to observe Moody's expression,  it seemed almost orgasmic...

 

"Stop it! Can't you see it upsets him?" Granger called out in a trembling voice.

 

Nemo turned to see where she was looking, Longbottom had turned pure white and shaking.

 

"Well, all things must come to an end, Avada Kadavra..." Moody grumbled.

 

The spider let out one last cry and then froze in a death pose.

 

"Now we can continue...so who is first?" Moody barked.

 

"First for what?" Malfoy drawled.

 

"To experience the very spell your father claimed your mad aunt cast to make him follow Him." Moody taunted.

 

It was Malfoy's turn to finch...

 

"Do you dare baby Malfoy to see if you have a stronger mind than your sire?" Moody taunted again.

 

“Unlike Father, I have been trained in Legilimency from a young age by a member of the House of Prince. Those of that bloodline have naturally stronger minds.” Malfoy said almost boredly.

 

“However, it has been many generations since the Prince family shared blood and magic with the Malfoys.” Moody snickered.

 

“You’re forgetting the addition of my godfather’s blood.” Malfoy smirked, “He’s helped me build shields even he has difficulty penetrating.”

 

“We’ll test that! Imperio!” Moody barked.

 

Malfoy stiffened, his eyes narrowing in concentration and his fists clenched.

 

Pansy Parkinson paled, her lips moving silently.

 

Nemo was curious what that was about…

 

“Finite.” Moody said sourly, “The Dark Lord might find you hard to control but if you remain such a sycophant, he won’t have to. You’ll just walk to the cause willingly.”

 

Malfoy hissed, “You’ve had it out for me all year Moody! I’m just a student, same as the rest.”

 

“Same as the rest? What with everyone _knowing_ your father joined the Dark Lord willingly and he claimed the Imperious just to avoid Azkaban as well as paying bribes? Yet still dared raise you in the Old Ways? A truly loyal subject would have been your Aunt, would it not?” Moody taunted.

 

Moody worked his way through Slytherin first, a strange grin crossing his face, almost worshipful when he encountered Theo Nott’s mind.

 

Parkinson looked at Moody, with strange eyes. It was almost as if she could see right through him…

 

The strange Defence Professor cast the Imperious on her.

 

Parkinson seemed relatively passive, but Moody soon began to smell of fear.

 

 Then to their surprise, Moody stumbled.

 

Could the now intriguing Slytherin witch see something that made Moody uncomfortable?

 

It was rather anti-climactic when Moody turned to the cretin.

 

“Imperio.”

 

The cretin went glassy-eyed almost immediately.

 

Moody was almost vicious as he whispered, “They’re everywhere…crawling all over you…spiders Ron…”

 

The cretin let out a high-pitched shriek, “Get them off! Get them off!”

 

The idiot Gryffindor began tearing his clothes off, tossing them on the ground and stomping on them.

 

Once the cretin was shirtless and reaching for his belt, Moody thankfully ended the spell.

 

The cretin looked around and freaked out about his ruined clothes.

 

“You did that yourself.” Potter said quietly. “Moody told you were covered in spiders.”

 

The cretin fumbled magically as he attempted a reparo on his ruined clothes.

 

After the cretin, Moody worked his way through the Gryffindor girls but skipped Granger.

 

He lingered on Finnigan making the boy break out in tremors and cold sweats.

 

Thomas began defiantly but eventually he too was taunted by Moody into breaking his quills, pencils and paintbrushes before being released from the Imperious.

 

The next victim was Longbottom, who was already distraught.

 

Moody seemed too eager to cast the imperious on the boy, it set Nemo’s teeth on edge. 

 

Were he a rattler, he would be having a slightly different reaction…

 

As it was, he was having a trying time keeping himself from arresting the so-called professor.

 

Longbottom let out a cry of distress and weaved as if to fall.

 

Granger ran forward, supporting him in her arms, “That’s enough! What sort of a professor are you? Using this illegal spell on us is bad enough but do you have to be cruel?”

 

“Thank you for volunteering Granger. Imperio.”

 

Granger stiffened, her mouth tightened as she struggled to retain control of her own mind.

 

“Drop him!” Moody growled.

 

Granger’s arms tightened and slackened around Longbottom, but then she dropped him even as she cried out, ‘No’.

 

“She resisted, curious. It appears that Granger is the only witch in this room capable of doing more than rolling over like a crup when kicked. Perhaps, you are worthy of being called your Generation’s Lily Evans Miss Granger. Speaking of Evans, it’s finally come around to you, Potter. Imperio!”

 

To Moody’s apparent annoyance, Potter merely yawned.

 

“Was something supposed to happen?”

 

The entire class broke into a chaotic cacophony.

 

“SILENCE~! So, Nemo, what did you think of this lesson?”

 

“What do I think?” Nemo drawled, “I see a power mad, supposed ex-Auror using an illegal spell to torture students. It isn’t illegal to use on non-humans but by casting it on your own students for sadistic pleasure, I ought to report you at once.”

 

“Imperio!” Moody said defensively.

 

Nemo’s shields were strong and the spell merely reflected on Moody himself.

 

Nemo used the creep’s stunned state to peek into the man’s mind. It was a mad jumble, reflective of what Muggles’ the Joker’s mind might be…

 

Nemo gained the impression secrecy, madness and betrayal but little sense. The imperious wasn’t quite like Legilimency, he couldn’t see much nor did he choose to control Moody’s mind. That would be illegal…

 

Instead he cast a spell to jumble Moody’s nerves so that his control over his damaged body would be a bit more difficult to adjust to than merely swapping control from one side of the mad man’s mind to the other.

 

Moody sort of crumpled…

 

In a rare sense of some emotion he couldn’t name, Nemo repaired Thomas’ damaged art supplies and other objects that Moody forced them to destroy.

 

It wasn’t Granger who turned her gaze on him but Parkinson.

 

“You have a greater depth to your character than you know…” the discomfortingly perceptive witch said before exiting the classroom with a very quiet Slytherin House…

 

Nemo had things to mull over…

 

Whatever Moody’s purpose was, Nemo was certain that it was his duty to oppose him…

 

 

 


	8. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Samhain and the Drawing of the Champions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Non Canon Hogwarts Champion, to be specific a Slytherin Champion is chosen. Dumbledore is an arse. Foul Language.

Chapter 7

 

Halloween or Samhain dawned blandly…

 

It was a brisk day and no classes, a holiday. The first holiday from classes since term began…

 

Nemo spent much of the day exploring the castle with Potter, because what else did he have to do? Interspersed with drilling Potter on Runes of course…

 

He couldn’t let his subject grow lazy…

 

They had slipped away early to explore, stopping to breakfast in the kitchens which were boringly accessed by ticking a pear in a portrait of fruit.

 

A house elf named Dobby brought them lunch in the Astronomy Tower…

 

They were just about to head down when one of Harry’s dormmates Thomas appeared with an easel under his arm and a bag.

 

“Painting again Dean?” Harry asked with a grin.

 

“Yeah, Seamus wanted a nap so I thought I’d get some painting done.” Thomas shrugged. “Oh, Ron’s looking for you. He’s acting weird again. If I didn’t know you were unable to be under the Imperious curse, his comments about being under Nemo’s spell might have weight. Ron was crazy last year, almost violent. I never understood why you liked him…”

 

Harry sighed, “He was my first friend; I may have discovered he was the wrong sort but that was my mistake to make.”

 

“Well he’s determined to find you and keep Nemo away.”

 

“He’s welcome to try,” Nemo sneered, “but he’s a million years too early…”

 

“Let’s go find somewhere else…to explore…” Potter mused as they left Thomas to his painting.

 

Nemo hoped they avoided the cretin or he might end up with worse than a concussion and a broken wrist… not that he had anything to do with that.

 

XoooooooX

 

Potter and Nemo had spent the entire day of their ‘holiday’ exploring Hogwarts and were loathed to return to the Great Hall due to comments made by Gryffindors that the cretin was as the Americans would say ‘on the warpath’.

 

Granger waved them over to seats that she and Longbottom had saved.

 

Since the disastrous lesson on the Unforgivables, Granger had grown protective of Longbottom and had threatened to curse anyone who taunted him about fainting.

 

Whatever Moody had done to the boy had caused him to faint just before he was released from the Imperious Curse and Granger put under.

 

“Where have you been Harry?” the cretin grabbed Potter’s sweater sleeve in a death grip, “I was looking for you everywhere.”

 

“Nemo and I were exploring.” Potter said coolly.

 

“Might have asked me. Why are you so nice to Nemo? You fancy him or something?” the cretin snapped.

 

Potter flinched, “He’s our guest! We’re supposed to be involved in international magical co-operation. I’m just being neighborly.”

 

“A Dark Wizard like that, has to have more than _friendship_ on his mind.” Ron leaned into whisper.

 

“A Battle Wizard isn’t necessarily Dark cretin.” Nemo sniffed.

 

“My name is Ron.” Ron snarled. “Do you think Sirius would approve of him?”

 

Potter and a Sirius, the cretin could only mean escaped ‘murderer’ Sirius Black…

 

“You are a cretin and I will call you such.” Nemo drawled boredly. “Since I’ve arrived, you’ve whined at Harry for improving himself and attempted to get him to allow someone to do his homework. Now you’re implying or perhaps, threatening to tell a mass murderer he isn’t behaving and you’ve been insisting on keeping tabs on him like he’s a criminal that you have to keep an eye on. If you’re any example of a friend, I don’t want one.”

 

“Who would have you?” the cretin retorted.

 

“I would!” Potter glowered. “Nemo’s helped me with my Runes assignments, corrected my wandwork and given me pointers in defense. He may not be nice but he can be helpful.”

 

Being defended by his subject had some amount of pleasure, not as much as his successful wedge between the subject and the cretin. Their ‘friendship’ was toxic…

 

Potter tugged Nemo past the cretin to sit with Granger and Longbottom, leaving the toxic redhead behind.

 

The feast was only different from the opening feast due to its decorations and more Harvest fresh food choices.

 

The Great Hall was filled with almost nauseating excitement.

 

Dumbledore rose, slowly extinguishing the candles in the Hall with wandless, nonverbal magic.

 

“The time for the Drawing of the Champions is nearly upon us. I estimate another minute before the first Champion will be chosen. I reiterate once chosen, you are in a binding contract and are bound magically to compete.”

 

The flames within the Goblet of Fire turned blue as it spat out a charred bit of parchment.

 

“Viktor Krum! The Durmstrang Institute will be represented by Viktor Krum!”

 

The Great Hall was full of excited voices due to Krum being the most famous Seeker in the world, capturer of the World Cup Final ending snitch.

 

The blue flames tossed out another name.

 

“The Nymphs of Beauxbatons Academy will be represented by Fleur Delacour.”

 

Now that was sexist, Beauxbatons had at least one wizard member of its student delegation just as Durmstrang had at least one witch. Clearly it was not an witch only school like Salem or a wizard only school like Tahquamenon in America.

 

Both Krum and Delacour had risen and were approaching a door to an antechamber where two minor staff members for their schools were waiting.

 

“Hogwarts will be represented by…AODHAN!”

 

“What? So what if I want to sleep? This is boring you creepy old fuck!” Slytherin’s lazy prefect Aodhan Urquhart barked from across the Great Hall.

 

“Get up here right now.”

 

“I don’t feel like it.”

 

“You’re Hogwarts’ Champion.”

 

“Choke on your wand Uncle Albus, I never entered. Besides, it’s too much work, as if making me a prefect wasn’t imbecilic enough. How much do you want to embarrass Hogwarts?”

 

“You’re the one embarrassing Hogwarts. Now get up here!”

 

Dumbledore seemed to be attempting to summon Urquhart who magically pushed back, starting a magical tug-of-war.

 

This particular brand of insanity continued until Snape intervened.

 

“THAT IS ENOUGH! Urquhart, to the chamber. We will discuss your suitability later. Albus, Tartarus’ Champion.”

 

“Tartarus Battle Wizard Academy will be represented by Nemo!” Dumbledore snapped.

 

Nemo didn’t care who represented Tartarus, their primary and secondary mission had different objectives. The Triwizard Tournament was merely their cover…

 

Nemo rose boredly.

 

The cretin was complaining about how stupid it was that baby foreign wizards like himself and Max Joubert were allowed to enter while Hogwarts students had ridiculous rules about age.

 

Nemo was halfway through the antechamber door when Dumbledore yelled again, “Potter…Harry Potter!”

 

Nemo spun around, his hand landing on his wand sheath.

 

Granger was white and trembling while the cretin was rising, his wand hand shaking as if he were threatening to curse his subject…

 

“Get up here Potter!” Dumbledore snapped.

 

Potter trembled, taking one shaking step and then another as he made his way towards Nemo.

 

The look in Potter was defiance but a small ember…

 

“Did you enter?” Nemo hissed under his breath.

 

Potter blinked, shaking his head, “No. You?”

 

“Was invited here to. Did only because it was the ‘assignment’, didn’t really care.”

 

Nemo was aware that Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape had followed them into the antechamber.

 

The General had shadowed them in of course and he seemed tense…

 

Bagman was rubbing his hands and seemed to be drooling over Delacour. “So, five Champions for a three Champion Tournament. That is unexpected but they are bound to compete…”

 

“I don’t want to.” Urquhart drawled. “I’m underage, I did not enter and I refuse to consent to participate.”

 

“The cup’s gone out, you’re bound.” Dumbledore muttered darkly.

 

“Like hell I am! I don’t want to participate in a death match. I’ve read Hogwarts: A History, at the last tournament a cockatrice escaped and killed the Champions and their Head of their respective schools.”

 

“Legally bound, eh Barty?” Bagman said rubbing his hands together.

 

“They are not seen as legal adults,” the General drawled, “how can they participate much less enter?”

 

“Your champion is how old?” Karkaroff retorted.

 

“That doesn’t matter, he could best your students in a duel blind and as I’ve mentioned before; he is considered of age within his home Ministry.” The General mocked.

 

“I ought to have known that opening Triwizard to an unvetted foreign school at the last minute would result in such deceit. Two champions for Hogwarts? That’s outrageous…I demand that our students resubmit,” Karkaroff began.

 

“The Headmaster just said the goblet went out, I doubt it will be able to ignite before the next Tournament.”

 

“Oh I see. A tournament that Durmstrang will not be participating in.” Karkaroff spat.

 

“Ni volonté Beauxbatons will either, some vanted to give ‘Ogwarts deux bites of ze pomme.” Madame Maxime sniffed.

 

“So we have agreed that all Goblet selected champions are bound to participate, all five of them.” Crouch muttered absently.

 

“You heard Barty,” Bagman said boyishly. “All five will participate.”

 

“I don’t plan to participate. Besides, whoever heard of a Slytherin champion? Much less one who will be accused of cheating their way into this farce. I hope you enjoy being shamed, because it would do so to claim Harry and I who did not enter.” Urquhart sneered.

 

“The names are in your handwriting.” Dumbledore muttered.

 

Urquhart snatched up the charred scraps, “Torn from failed essays no doubt. Yet you will refuse to investigate, is this payback for failing my duties that you forced me into or for despising your existence?”

 

“Aodhan!” Dumbledore hissed.

 

“Whatever enjoy your moment of glory in having two champions _Uncle Albus_. You’re going to need it. I have no interest in this pathetic tournament. Potter, you want to chance that crowd out there?”

 

Potter shook his head, “I’d rather be locked in a cupboard for a week.”

 

“Then let’s take that door and get away before we’re attacked.” With that Urquhart bit his thumb at Dumbledore and slipped out the same side door that the First Years entered the previous month.

 

Nemo nodded at the General sharply before escorting Harry out of the antechamber.

 

He had a feeling that development would affect his ability to look out for Potter to some degree.

 

 


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

 

Nemo’s impression of the cretin’s toxicity was proven quite right…

 

His verbal attacks on Potter had taken a knife-edged turn.

 

Apparently, Potter had used Nemo himself to enter the Tournament and no amount of protestation on the younger Gryffindor’s part would convince him.

 

Even worse, the cretin had joined up with a pair of Hufflepuffs whom Nemo knew as Zacharias Smith and Eron Macmillian.

 

The three of them harangued Potter all the time.

 

Most of the time Nemo was stuck doing boring assignments while sitting on Potter’s classes…

 

Sharing nearly every class with the cretin and Herbology with the cretin’s new shadows made Nemo more than a bit wary for Potter’s safety.

 

XooooooX

 

Nemo and Potter were called out of a Potions lesson from Snape by a Gryffindor First Year, Creevey the younger and escorted to a formerly empty classroom.

 

Inside they found the judges for this farce of a Tournament: Durmstrang’s High Master Karkaroff, Beauxbatons’ Headmistress Maxime, the British Ministry’s Lord Crouch who was formerly its Head of Magical Law Enforcement but now assigned to its Department of International Magical Cooperation as well as former Wimbourne Wasps’ Beater Ludo Bagman, currently the Head of Magickal Sports and Games.

 

The other four Champions were present of course: Krum, Delacour, Urquhart and Potter but it was another blonde Beauxbatons witch and the wizard in Ravenclaw robes who slightly intrigued him.

 

The General was there of course but unlike the other Educational Headships, his guardian was _not_ a judge.

 

The final two occupants of the room had his nose wrinkling in disgust as Nemo slunk in Harry's shadow, the slightly older wizard likely considered him a friend. Potter had terrible taste if that backstabbing traitor the cretin’s current behavior was any indication.

 

The first was a tall witch with broad shoulders and manish hands tipped with blinding neon green polish that matched her suit and huge kitten-heeled pumps. Clutched in one of her large hands was a crocodile purse and hovering at her side was a matching poisonous green quill dashing about on a roll of parchment, ugh a Quick Quotes Quill. Was that even appropriate for a journalist? Nemo was suspicious that she was or had been transgender but that was none of his business.

 

Her companion was a balding man who seemed to drip sweat while hauling around a camera.

 

Anytime either drew close to Potter, himself and Urquhart there was a flash and they seemed to be hit with some sort of electricity but Nemo never saw either use a wand and he certainly didn't cast anything…

 

Given the obvious absence of a representative of Krum’s Quidditch team, his manager or a member of his family, it was not a surprise that the International Quidditch star refused an interview with the overly eager green-clad journalist of questionable integrity.

 

When the witch attempted to approach Delacour, she slipped away from her monstrous Headmistress and over to speak with her fellow Beauxbatons student.

 

The door to the classroom opened and Dumbledore entered with an older wizard around thirty years his junior…

 

“Ah Garrick, how nice of you to join us.” Crouch muttered.

 

“Even if I couldn’t make it, I assure you that Grieg and Audrey would have done our family proud. They are the pride of the House of Ollivander.” The elder wizard presumably Garrick Ollivander shrugged.

 

“Now Garrick, they may be exceptionally talented but they don’t have your vaulted experience.” Dumbledore winked inappropriately.

 

“Perhaps, Audrey if you please. I believe these judges have misjudged your knowledge due to your age.”

 

The less familiar Beauxbatons witch walked over to the assembled judges, her hand in Delacour’s.

 

When Delacour removed her hand, she left her wand in Audrey Ollivander’s.

 

“Zis iz one of mon grandpapa’s, a supple 9 ¾ Rosewood with Veela ‘air for its core. Fleur, it iz your grandme’re’s ‘air?”

 

“Oui. Especial commission by Monsieur ‘enri…” Delacour murmured.

 

Dumbledore seemed displeased by Miss Audrey’s involvement but Ollivander Sr. seemed to be testing the younger member of his House.

 

“Orchideous!” Audrey sang out.

 

Before her, orchids showered the stone floor before being vanished and the wand returned to her schoolmate.

 

“Monsieur Krum your wand?” Audrey asked politely.

 

Krum plodded towards her, duckfooted to hand the witch his wand.

 

“Ah, so zis is a Gregorovich. Grandpapa said zat zey ‘ave a different style. 10 ¼ inches, quite rigid. Zis is thicker zan an Ollivander wand. ‘Ornbeam and Dragon ‘eartstring? Was it ‘ard to master monsieur?” Audrey twittered.

 

Krum shrugged.

 

“Pardonnez-moi , peut-être que je suis impoli.” Audrey murmured, before conjuring a fount of what smelt like wine.

 

“Grieg, whose wands intrigue you?” Garrick asked turning to the young Ollivander wizard.

 

“The Tartarus Champion and the Slytherin…the crafting is unfamiliar…” the Ravenclaw drawled.

 

“Who first?” Dumbledore asked woodenly.

 

“Nemo, might I examine your wand?” Grieg asked almost uneasily.

 

Nemo shrugged, stalking over and removing it from its human femur carved wand cane-case.

 

Grieg’s hand hovered over Nemo’s wand but didn’t touch, “Thirteen inches, a rare choice. Black Poisonwood and crystalized Basilisk venom. Unyielding and self-crafted?”

 

Nemo shrugged while the others present minus the General gasped.

 

“It’s a curriculum requirement; one must forge their own wand. I was the first in my year unsurprisingly; I was studying wandlore and considering my options quite young.”

 

“You were how old when you crafted this?” Grieg asked as he gently grasped Nemo’s wrist to examine the wand from multiple angles.

 

“Nine.” Nemo smirked.

 

“I see, that would explain its relative youth as well as its connection with your magical core. You don’t need to hold it to cast?”

 

Nemo was now very intrigued himself, “No, I mostly cast by thought.”

 

“That is impossible…” Karkaroff blurted out.

 

“Is it?” Grieg mused, “Being Black Poisonwood unless I use gloves, I can’t touch your wand and I left mine in father’s lab. Nemo would you mind proving it?”

 

Nemo shrugged.

 

A red-orange snake with a rainbow-like sheen to its scales appeared at their feet as if summoned or even conjured yet, Nemo’s lips hadn’t even moved.

 

Nemo was surprised to see both Potter and Urquhart’s ears twitch when the snake hissed its displeasure at being dragged there.

 

There was a lonely but uneasy look in Potter’s eye…

 

Nemo smirked as he levitated the snake to Potter, “Why don’t you keep them? You seem to want one.”

 

Potter blinked, his words slow and deliberate as if he were desperate to speak English, “Are…you…sure…?”

 

Nemo nodded, “Yes, you might want to send fifty Galleons to Salazar’s Pythons. I may have accidentally summoned a wizard-bred snake rather than a wild one.”

 

“Does that…satisfy you great-grandfather that his wand is in excellent shape?”

 

“While not quite our styling it seems to suit him... Perhaps, a bit overpowered but if he can control it…” Garrick said distantly.

 

Grieg seemed to turn away reluctantly, “Urquhart?”

 

“Ollivander…” the infamous ‘Lazy Prefect’ of Slytherin drawled boredly.

 

“It is an Ollivander, but not a British Ollivander though it seems the same hand as Delacour’s. A study 11 ½ inches. Hemlock and Doxy wing? Interesting, Doxy wings are a runner up in power to Basilisk with predictably very strong Slytherin associations. Even though it has been known to be unpredictable and temperamental. Hemlock is famed for fast reactions and spell casting as well as excellent for Potions. It is noted to be less compatible with Ravenclaws and those of especially strong personalities. Holds meanings of perfidy and death.”

 

“I am an orphan,” Urquhart said coldly, “while deceit and death do not lie with me, they surround me.”

 

“I did not mean to offend; Ollivanders can be rather obsessive when it comes to wandlore.” Grieg sighed, “Avis!”

 

There was a loud bang and a thousand tiny birds burst into existence with a sound similar to crackling lightening.

 

The elder Ollivander gestured for his great-grandson to step aside as he rubbed his hands together.

 

“The last of the champions but by no means least…”

 

The gleam in Ollivander’s eye was quite off-putting, even with the admitted obsession Nemo was weirded out.

 

“This is one of mine, I remember you coming into my shop not that long ago. It was your phoenix who provided the core Headmaster, did I tell you? Yes 11 inches, quite supple and Holly. Best suited for Defence against the Dark Arts. A strong, versatile wandcore. Holly is known for its strength against Dark Spirits, likely to produce a strong Patronus. A symbol of masculinity…Aqua erecto!”

 

A large water phoenix appeared between Potter and Ollivander Sr.

 

“I think all five wands are in perfect working order…three being Ollivander creations is quite unheard for the Triwizard. The publicity!” Garrick said kissing his fingers.

 

The younger Ollivanders seemed displeased with his behavior…

 

“Might we still have an interview?”

 

Urquhart drawled, “I don’t care if He is my guardian, I frankly _refuse_ to be interviewed. It’s bad enough he decided I was stuck participating. Good day. Oh and Uncle Albus please desist in accusing me of using Abaddon to enter even in jest or else I will be suing you for insults to the House of Urquhart.”

 

Nemo saw Dumbledore’s flinch at the name ‘Abaddon’ was this perhaps the name of a serpentine familiar? Now that he thought about it, Urquhart certainly smelt of snake…

 

Harry was humming faintly in parseltongue himself, making him all the more intrigued.

 

“You are the youngest champions Harry and Nemo was it? Might we interview you?” the green-clad witch winked.

 

Nemo growled, “I am of age according to the North American Joint Ministry of the United States and Canada. I have no interest in being interviewed.”

 

“Surely you can convince him General Kurosawa…” the witch purred at the General.

 

“Nemo is allowed to agree or refuse, he is legally emancipated and of age. I will not force or entreat him to agree to an interview if he refuses Ms. Skeeter.” The General snorted.

 

“Harry? A teensy little interview?” Skeeter begged.

 

Harry shook his head, darting behind Nemo, “No way! I saw what you were writing earlier! My eyes aren’t swimming with the ghosts of my past and I am fourteen not twelve. If you can’t observe properly, why should I let you take down anything I say?”

 

“Dinner Harry?” Nemo drawled, “It’s got to be nearly time…”

 

“Snape’s probably going to make me come back and rebrew my potion so I won’t have much time to eat…” Potter groaned.

 

“Best to get a start on dinner early if you have to return to Potions…” Nemo yawned.

 

“But the interview!” Skeeter protested.

 

The wizard champions left the classroom to her protestations.

 

“Nemo?” the Ravenclaw Ollivander asked as he drew next to Nemo and Potter.

 

“Yes?” Nemo asked almost testily.

 

“Could we discuss wandlore sometime?” Grieg asked almost nervously. “Perhaps, if I have my gloves I can examine your wand more closely another time?”

 

Nemo raised an eyebrow, “Perhaps…I’ll think about it…”

 

With that he stalked off with Potter, there was something intriguing about the Ravenclaw Ollivander...

 

 


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 

The Wand weighing nonsense had been arranged the Friday following Tuesday's Samhain. Harry must have contacted Salazar's Pythons because, he was nigh inseparable from the snake that Nemo had accidentally summoned all the way from London.

 

It was a Brazilian Rainbow Serpent, a boa to be exact. It would be approximately the same height as the cretin's twin brothers were it to stand on its tail. It preferred to ride on Harry as either a scarf-like object or at his waist almost belt-like. The snake was a flame-like red-orange with a rainbow sheen and a black scale pattern that was reminiscent of chains.

 

Two weeks later, Harry was asked to stay behind in Care of Magical Creatures to talk to Hagrid.

 

With cretin, still on the outs with the rest of their dormitory and his thankfully lack of joining with Urquhart's awkward supporters in Slytherin House due his distrust of those who weren't Gryffindor. Cretin was quick to clear off after this class...

 

Despite the cretin's viperish words, Harry retained the support of the rest of his dormitory and the House Quidditch team.

 

It was primarily Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff who complained about cheaters representing Hogwarts.

 

By now, Harry had joined Nemo and Granger in heading up to the Castle.

 

"What did Hagrid want Harry?" Granger asked uneasily.

 

Harry frowned, "Well, he asked me to meet him at the Abraxan paddock after dinner and to bring the cloak."

 

Granger grabbed his hand, "You can't! Ron will,"

 

Probably try to give Potter the beating he had been threatening since Harry was named a champion...

 

Nemo yawned boredly, "I'll go... Hagrid seemed too interested in Harry being alone tonight. It is either Tournament-related or some bungled attempt to repair your friendship with the cretin..."

 

Granger let out a sigh of relief, "If you're with him, then I know Harry is safe..."

 

They reached the castle and headed in for lunch.

 

Later would be Potions with Snape as well as a two-period study session for Potter.

 

The first one was always focused on his Ancient Runes packet and the later for his homework from earlier in the day...

 

XooooooX

 

After dinner, Harry pulled out a cloak that flowed like liquid silver yet hid Harry from sight.

 

Nemo could still smell/taste his subject and dimly hear him but he truly was the most impressively invisible that he had ever seen.

 

Nemo knew that Harry's snake Scalia, as she insisted vehemently to be called, lay coiled about Harry's neck as usual.

 

Satisfied Harry was mostly invisible, Nemo tended to his own invisibility and cast silencing charms on their feet.

 

The two reluctant Triwizard Champions headed towards Hagrid's hut, where they heard the oaf whispering.

 

"Pst ...Harry? Are ye out thur?" Hagrid's was wearing and offensively hideous Harry brown suit that looked like it was made from a cow's hide but someone forgot a step...

 

Harry popped his head out and looked like a Muggle Halloween decoration of a floating head. "I'm here..."

 

"Alone? I dunna like that Nemo... he be up ter sumpthing. Very Slytherin that one."

 

"I didn't invite anyone to come with me." Harry said testily but honestly. "If you're only going to insult Nemo, I will go back to the Castle."

 

"Dunna be hasty and keep up. Migh' see sumpthing inter'sting..." Hagrid said cheerfully as he walked towards the Forbidden Forest but skirted the edge.

 

Where the forest met the Lake, they were joined by the Beauxbatons' Headmistress who towered over Hagrid.

 

The closer they came to Hogsmeade, Nemo spotted fire through the trees. In a large clearing on the Hogsmeade side of the Forest were at least a dozen dragon keepers and five caged dragons.

 

The cages resembled something one might find in a Muggle zoo…

 

A redhead noticed Hagrid and drawled, "Stay back Hagrid!"

 

"Canna we get a wee bit closer Charlie? Fer tha lady?"

 

"That's far enough Hagrid, I have no intention of importing dragons into the preserve for you. I know exactly how many eggs there are and if any go missing it’s your head that will roll, not mine."

 

"Vot are zey? Ze dragons s'il vous plaÎt."

 

"The Catalonian Fireball is Carmesina, our Romanian Longhorn we call Ieana, the Hungarian Horntail is Mariska, then the Ukrainian Ironbelly is called Olena and that is our Portuguese Longsnout Fanya." Charlie sighed.

 

Hagrid and Maxine got as close as 'Charlie' would allow.

 

'Master?' Harry's snake hissed. 'Nemo... something is wrong with master...'

 

Harry's snake seemed distressed and both smelt/tasted of anxiousness.

 

Nemo located Potter, grasped his hand and tugged him into the castle.

 

Granger would freak...

 

Once they reached the castle, Nemo plucked off Potter's invisibility cloak, shoving it in the slightly older wizard's pocket and ended his own spells.

 

"Ah Potter and Nemo where have you been? You smell like smoke..." Urquhart yawned boredly, he smelt as if he were accompanied by a large invisible snake.

 

"He's trying to kill us both..." Potter gasped.

 

Urquhart frowned, "Who?"

 

"Dumbledore..."

 

Potter's hyperventilating in panic at the prospect of facing a dragon, a known wizard killer, had him fainting.

 

Parkinson appeared almost immediately. "Draco's Ravenclaw cousin mentioned that I ought to wander here at this time. I didn't expect... never mind. Come on Urquhart, a conjured cot if you please. Only prefects can use magic in the corridors otherwise I would have. Let's take him to Snape, the professor will send for a real healer..."

 

Parkinson continued to intrigue him...

 

Despite his reputation for laziness, Urquhart did conjure a cot to levitate Potter onto.

 

Parkinson glared at Nemo, "Go on then! I swear on Potter's and my shared blood that he will be safe with Urquhart. You better fetch Granger... she'll worry herself sick if you don't. The Weasel will try to claim you hurt Potter if you fail to inform her at once."

 

Reluctantly, Nemo left Potter with Parkinson and Urquhart.

 

That snake of Potter would be some defense at least...

 

Nemo took the shortest route to Gryffindor Tower, grabbed the pacing Granger and dragged her out.

 

"Where is Harry?" The startled witch gasped out as she hurried along beside him.

 

"On the way to Snape's office."

 

"Is he in trouble?"

 

Nemo snorted, "With Snape? Not presently. Parkinson recommended that Harry be brought to his office so he could see to it that a healer was sent for."

 

"You left Harry with Pansy?" Granger choked.

 

"She swore on their shared blood he would be safe. Urquhart and Scalia are with him." Nemo shrugged, "She smelt honest and she knew something would happen. She took charge and even got Urquhart to not be lazy. Think he sent his snake to let Snape know we were coming."

 

Nemo had chosen the shortest path to the potions lab and Granger tugged him towards Snape's office.

 

They were greeted by an open door.

 

Snape seemed to be farcically annoyed, Parkinson pensive and Urquhart confused.

 

Granger choked at the sight of the witch hovering over Potter's prone form.

 

"You?"

 

"I? That's poor manners even for a Muggleborn." The witch sniffed.

 

"But you're Bellatrix Lestrange..." Granger stammered.

 

The healer snorted, "No I am not, my name is Andromeda Tonks. Bella is my mad younger sister. I understand the mistaken identity, we are similar in coloring and The Daily Prophet's photos are always black and white. I work as St. Mungo's in their Maternity-Paternity ward, in the Muggle world you might consider me an obstetrician and gynecologist."

 

Then she hissed in annoyance rather than Parseltongue while gesturing for Snape.

 

A privacy ward went up and the two adults had an intense conversation that had the healer stiff with displeasure and Snape furious.

 

"What is going on?" Granger whispered.

 

"Healer Andromeda is quite skilled, no doubt she noticed what Pomfrey is too drunk to see." Parkinson observed.

 

"What's that?" Granger asked absently.

 

"That he is mistreated. Draco won't see it but I can't help it. There is damage to his soul... I can see it. He certainly doesn't dress like a house elf of his own volition." Parkinson sighed.

 

"Can you tell what they are saying Nemo?" Urquhart hissed in Parseltongue.

 

Nemo nodded, "Apparently, Potter has been starved, his skin and bones are witnesses to prolonged physical abuse. He is severely undernourished to the point that it is impeding his growth. There is also the echo of his having been host to very dark magic..."

 

The ward came down with a snap.

 

"Clearly there is no need for a privacy ward..." The witch drawled. "You lip read quite well."

 

Nemo shrugged, "One must learn it at Tartarus..."

 

The healer mouthed the word 'Tartarus' before continuing, "He is unhealthy in the extreme, how he is functioning is likely due to the strength of his magic. At any rate, he needs a particular diet. You are his friend?"

 

Granger nodded, "I have long held suspicions about his being mistreated, I talked to Dumbledore and he patted my head. He even claimed Harry was quite safe and that I should leave Harry's safety in the hands of adults. When the twins mentioned bars in Harry's windows and they even had the broken bars in the car, Mrs. Weasley beat and harangued them for lying." Granger pulled out a tiny journal-like book, "You see I've been taking notes since I first had suspicions..."

 

"Maybe you do have some things in common..." Snape muttered.

 

"Severus will see to it that you receive my potions prescriptions. We'll discuss payment at a later date. I suggest you keep that notebook safe Granger. It will be needed. Keep this to yourselves, it is clearly meant to be hidden but it will be revealed at the proper time. Now what precipitated Potter's collapse besides ill-health...?" The healer asked.

 

"Hagrid asked Potter to meet him at the Abraxan paddock after he had dinner. Granger was worried for him so I tagged along. Potter's other 'friend' the cretin has been insulting him all term and has grown violent since Potter was chosen as a Triwizard Champion. The cretin has it in his head that I entered Potter in the tournament. I came as one of Tartarus' five champion candidates but I really had no interest in participating." Nemo yawned. "We followed Hagrid who invited Maxime, the Beauxbatons Headmistress to see the arrival of the dangerous magical creatures chosen to test our daring in the First Task. Potter didn't take the revelation well..."

 

"What were they...?" Granger whispered.

 

"Dragons." Nemo drawled, "A Romanian Longhorn, a Portuguese Longsnout, a Catalonian Fireball, a Ukrainian Ironbelly and a Hungarian Horntail. All nesting mothers, likely it's an egg-related challenge. That is if we're not carved up by the Horntail's tail, skewered by the Longhorn or melted by the Ironbelly. No wonder they had an age limit..."

 

Granger burst into tears.

 

Parkinson glowered at him, "You are quite insensitive Nemo...are all Tartarus students like that or are you singularly unconcerned about others?"

 

Nemo shrugged, "I registered as an amoral, high-functioning sociopath. The perfect personality for a government hired assassin..." His reply was in Parseltongue purposefully.

 

Urquhart's ears twitched but he didn't repeat Nemo's reply.

 

Nemo was a bit like DC Comics' Deadshot only without the kid. Then again while guns were a weapon option, they weren't Nemo's preference...

 

"I see... dragons are quite the obstacle indeed. However, I am certain that Pansy could borrow a number of books on dragons. A mutual acquaintance of ours had a previous obsession on the subject and received many books as a result. If Granger is half the researcher Lily Evans was, I don't see how she couldn't be of assistance. Whether the three of you wizards accept the aid is another matter. Now I will have Potter returned to his bed. I already dosed him with a calming draught and a mild sleeping potion. He can focus on dragons later. The rest of you should return to your dormitories."

 

The healer snapped her fingers and a house elf appeared only to vanish with Potter.

 

Granger absently thanked them before scurrying off to the tower no doubt.

 

Urquhart and Parkinson headed towards where Potter had claimed the Slytherin dungeons were.

 

After leaving Snape's office, a very large greenish-yellow snake appeared slithering at Urquhart's side.

 

Nemo slipped off to inform the General both of the dragons for the First Task and Potter's ill-health...

 

 


	11. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a bisexual character in this chapter but he is not meant as a representation of the orientation. He is merely using his orientation as an excuse to be a player because he is a twit who believes he can seduce someone into not being trans and can seduce anyone. Sadly, some people actually believe that tripe. I know some wonderful bi persons but every group has their embarrassments... HE just happens to be a 'bad egg'.

Chapter 10

 

Potter shakily stepped into the common room the morning after learning about the dragons in the First Task.

 

Granger hurried up to him, "Are you alright? Did the potions help?"

 

Harry nodded, "Still a bit queasy about the whole thing..."

 

"Is that guilt talking Potter?" the cretin taunted.

 

"Put a sock in it Ron!" Granger fumed.

 

"I’m a wizard, not a house elf!" The cretin said testily.

 

"You act about as intelligent." Nemo drawled.

 

"Why don't you go back where you came from? Everythin' was alright before you came. You've turned him against me."

 

"I didn’t have to turn him against you; all I had to do was point out that you weren’t much of a ‘friend’ to begin with. At least I don't try to sabotage his education or take advantage of his owning a Firebolt."

 

"No, you just entered him in that bloody Tournament when he asked. Some friend he is, didn't even include his best mate."

 

Nemo snorted, "I didn't enter Potter and he never asked me to. The General would have cursed me black and blue for doing such a thing. If you insist on repeating such a slanderous tale, I will be suing you."

 

The cretin growled, "You can't sue me!"

 

Nemo sneered, briefly flashing his fangs. "Oh, I can, you forget cretin that I am of age. Which means I can file lawsuits on my own account. Insulting me is also insulting Tartarus. I suppose insulting an entire school makes you feel important. Should I sue you and your parents for your last knuts? Unless you’re intelligent enough to sit down and shut up that is.”

 

“He’s not but we are.” Hair twin said pointing his wand at the cretin.

 

Then the cretin was silently railing at Nemo instead of vocally.

 

“Come on breakfast, we do have History of Magic this morning.” Granger pipped up.

 

“Then a free period to do the homework…” Potter said with false-brightness.

 

Nemo nodded, “As useless as that ghost of a professor is, sadly attendance is required. You would learn more in a library.”

 

The three of them sauntered off to the Great Hall to start their day officially.

 

XooooooX

 

The three of them were headed to the library to do research for their respective assignments.

 

_“What do you want Diggory?”_

 

Nemo knew that voice.

 

His hand drifted to his wand as he went into assassin mode instinctively, skirting the wall and didn’t pause until he saw his source.

 

Granger and Potter hurried to catch up.

 

Nemo held up a clenched fist, signaling for silence.

 

“Your cousin mentioned that you were single and,”

 

“You must be kidding, I don’t do leftovers. You’re known as a manslut. Besides, I know you’re seeing one of the Weasley twins and the girl Chang.”

 

“You just need an experienced man to show you the pleasure of your natural sexuality. I am bisexual, besides there is plenty of Cedric to go around.”

 

“That’s you? Don’t make me laugh. I wouldn’t touch you or let you touch me if you were the last man on the planet. I certainly have no intention of letting my nosy Gryffindor cousin pick the scummiest excuse for a wizard to seduce me.” Nemo watched as Sasashima cornered him against the wall, purring, “See the trouble is I’m not woman enough for you, I’m a wizard where it counts. We have another problem with this ridiculous proposal of EMS’, you’re just not submissive enough for me. Besides, my tastes runs a bit more in the virginal and you lack another essential quality…”

 

“What’s that?” Diggory squeaked.

 

“You’re incapable of begging me in Japanese to do things to you. Submitting…giving up control…letting me own your body. You’re not worthy of my attentions.”

 

“You’re the first,”

 

“I won’t be the last. Now don’t you dare speak to me ever again.”

 

“What was that about?”

 

Nemo snickered, as he relaxed, “Some manwhore tried to flirt with the wrong wizard…”

 

“What did they mean about Sasashima,”

 

Nemo’s murderous aura filled the corridor, “If you speak of this I will have to be extremely not _nice_. Sasashima is a wizard who is attracted to other wizards and that is culturally acceptable in the Wizarding world even if it isn’t in Muggle world. You two of course wouldn’t know that being Muggle-raised.”

 

“It’s okay to be a,” Harry began.

 

“One derogatory word and like I said, I will have to be extremely not _nice_.” Nemo said with a false smile.

 

“I didn’t know…”

 

“Well now you do. So let’s get this studying done, we’re wasting daylight…”

 

It wasn’t much of a surprise to find Urquhart already in the library surrounded by dragon related books and Parkinson was just leaving the Slytherin champion.

 

Granger shyly hurried up to speak to her while Potter took a seat at Urquhart’s table to see what the dragon books were.

 

There was a list of the loaned books from Parkinson, Nemo headed over to find the staff Librarian Irma Prince to see if there were other books on dragons.

 

A cleared throat temporarily set Nemo on edge until he recognized the magical aura; it was that Ravenclaw Ollivander.

 

“I was here doing research when I spotted you. My father sent my gloves from our Hogsmeade shop, I was hoping you might allow me to make an appointment to examine your wand more closely?”

 

Someone sniggered nearby.

 

Nemo sent a shocking spell in their direction with a thought as punishment for eavesdropping.

 

“I’m not in a hurry now.” He drawled.

 

Ravenclaw Ollivander beamed shyly at him as he drew out Selkie gloves of all things from a robe pocket.

 

Nemo frowned, “Where did you get those?”

 

“These are a family heirloom, an Ollivander once bonded to a Selkie who took human form. They gave up their seal skin and when they died, their body turned to foam but they left the skin behind. They wished to always be part of the House of Ollivander so the skin was turned into gloves. It’s illegal to kill or capture a Selkie but there is special protection magic in willingly given Selkie skin making it perfect for handling dangerous wandwoods or cores.”

 

“If you’re adopted, is it wise to use something so bonded to your adopted family?” Nemo asked snidely.

 

Ravenclaw Ollivander nearly dropped the gloves, “Is it fair to say such a thing out loud? My adoptive parents have never treated me any different that I noticed from my adopted brother who insists on being called ‘River’. Since I showed wandmaking lore interest and later talent, I was instructed from a young age. I surprised them by having a darker, more unusual wand than most Ollivanders but like you I was expected to create my own. I was nine I think…”

 

“Why don’t we examine each other’s?” Nemo found himself saying.

 

That was an unheard of request at Tartarus…

 

To touch one’s self-crafted wand was to touch their soul...

 

Even the instructors never touched one’s wand; they would visually examine it and critique it but never actually touch it.

 

The disarming charm was only used to fling an opponent’s wand, overpowered enough and the targeted wand would snap or worse disintegrate. Most wizards were too lazy to learn to wield magic without a wand and destroying their wand was a tactical advantage unless it was needed to prove they were guilty of a crime but if a current or alumni Tartarean was called in, usually that meant the target was wanted dead rather than alive.

 

Ravenclaw Ollivander handed over his wand after retrieving it from a sheath on his hip.

 

This wandmaker had a very complex soul…

 

Nemo had never seen a braided wand; it had an ebony handle but the shaft was constructed from Acacia and Cypress entwined. The core was Centaur hair and something stone…

 

Ravenclaw Ollivander was clearly a subtle wizard who was torn between being Light and Dark, hovering somewhere in the grey…

 

Centaur hair was considered very strong for Astronomy and Divination as well as being associated with aloofness, intelligence and wisdom. It had a more negative association of a tendency to watch rather than take action. While not a fast caster, when used it proved a powerful one.

 

Acacia wands generally refused to produce magic for anyone but their owners, but conversely, seemed to withhold their full power from all but the most gifted wizards. Owners of Acacia wands are generally subtle wizards.

 

Cypress was associated with Greek god Hades. Like Acacia was considered subtly powerful, but very well suited to Transfiguration and Dark Arts. It was held to be symbolic of mourning and lament as well as a symbol of death but conversely was seen as an emblem of grace and joy.

 

Fluorite was one of the most powerful stones for creative and mental magic. Renowned for giving clarity of vision that is beneficial to art and most magical work. Protective even as it lessens one’s fear of ridicule and boosts confidence as well as belief in one’s talent. Bringing inspiration, originality and beauty to any artistic as well as creative project. It was known for awakening one’s intuitive senses when working with crystal or stone, yet for all of its qualities until now Nemo had never heard of it being use as a wandcore.

 

Ebony on the other hand was held to be visually very dynamic and most famous of Dark woods. Interestingly, it also does very well in Protective Magic and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Ebony had ties to each of the four core elements, and thus all the secondary elements as well. It could be considered one of the best wands for the well-rounded Elemental Magic user, though perhaps less so for individuals who have a strong inclination to only one element. It was clearly meant as a stabilizer when combined with Acacia, Cypress, Centaur hair and Fluorite.

 

“Interesting, I’ve never heard of Fluorite as a wandcore…much less seen a wand made of three different woods that flowed like this. How did you get the Acacia and Cypress wood to entwine like that?” Nemo frowned.

 

Given Ravenclaw Ollivander’s clear obsession with wandlore, he decided that he’d call him ‘wandie’. It was a wandlore wordplay on ‘druggie’…

 

The now deemed Wandie swallowed, “Magic? I had drawn the design and I had all of the pieces laid out, I can’t really explain it. It’s an Ollivander thing; we mostly use our minds to create. Shocked my adopted family, they never expected I could do what I did especially not using wood and wand cores like these. Only Louis bothers to experiment like that, using three woods and two cores was nearly enough give Grandfather Garrick a heart attack.”

 

“Then you really need to find out your true ancestry.” Nemo retorted, “If it’s an Ollivander skill, then you must have their blood somewhere in your ancestry.”  


“I started the potion…it takes a month to brew though.” Wandie admitted nervously.

 

“Those potions are the most annoying.” Nemo snorted. “I’m supposed to be finding books on dragons.”

 

“Alright…thank you for letting me examine your wand.”

 

“You’re the first person I’ve ever allowed to touch it. It’s against protocol.” Nemo muttered.

 

Wandie was frozen with shock while Nemo walked away.

 

There was something about Wandie that he couldn’t shake off…

 

XooooooX

 

Nemo was studying with Harry when the boy shoved a scrap of parchment at him.

 

**Which Weasley do you think your friend meant Cedric was sleeping with? I thought he was a nice guy. When I got hurt during a storm, he asked to have a rematch.**

Sighing, Nemo replied in like form.

 

**Hair twin. I think you call him George? If I had to guess, he was trying to impress him.**

Harry flinched.

 

**Cedric tried to have a rematch? Why?**

**The manslut was probably after Sex. Some guys will do anything, say anything to get sex. I'm sure it's not just a guy thing but I don't know very many females.  
**

**Is it that great? Sex I mean.**

**What want to find out? I can help with that. It’s neither included nor against my assignment.** Nemo scratched back.

 

“What? No!” Harry yelped only to be glared at by the librarian.

 

 **You’re younger than me…why do you know about sex?** Harry scribbled back.

 

**It’s part of the curriculum. Isn’t it here? I know this is a civilian school but shouldn’t you know something about sex?**

 

Harry swallowed. **I don’t. I wouldn’t even know liking boys was okay if you didn’t tell me.**

 

**It’s not just boys liking boys. Girls can like girls. You can be born one gender and really be another like Sasashima. You can like both genders. You can be a Metamorphmagus and be either gender. How well you can control that ability depends on one’s practice and determination. I am surprised how pitiful your education is here. You’re so behind us**

 

Harry flinched, **How so?**

 

**You have no concept of sex or what is culturally permissible. Your assignments and lessons are so elementary. We know at Tartarus that the consequences for not doing one’s own work is dire. Our final exams for every term are brutal. By your standards, our graduation rate is poor but those who do are the best of the best. We’re the first hired, the first promoted and we bypass the usual training because we’ve already had it.**

 

**Oh. And I thought my dad was cool because he was an Auror before he died.**

 

Nemo snorted. **Actually, your father was an Auror trainee who left training to go into hiding and was promoted posthumously. He was never really a fully-certified Auror. The British Ministry were so strapped for Aurors and Hit Wizards that they threw books at trainees, assigned them to field agents and let them fend for themselves. Idiots. If they’d hired five of us, we would have solved their little problem in a matter of weeks.**

 

Harry didn’t seem convinced.

 

Nemo shrugged, let the kid live in denial. After all you can led a horse to water but you can’t make them drink. It was the same with humans and knowledge. If one wishes to live in ignorance, then they will regardless of truth.

 

**If you’re not comfortable with me showing you if sex is worth it or anything really. I’m sure I can find a civilian appropriate book on sex.**

 

A gasp came behind them.

 

Nemo glared over his shoulder to find Granger.

 

“You can’t talk about that in the library!”

 

“Oh, grow up and go snog Parkinson! He’s fourteen, that’s plenty old enough to be curious. Civilians…”

 

“You’re younger than us!” Granger hissed.

 

“In years, perhaps but not experience, which is why I am legally an adult and you aren’t.”

 

Nemo was suspicious that Harry’s curiosity was partially due to his closeted status. He watched some boys very intently, yet shyly. He watched the Weasley twins from his Quidditch team, that blond wizard who was obviously a person of status in Slytherin and Krum. To test his theory and to annoy Granger, because he lived to annoy, Nemo leaned over and snogged the subject.

 

Harry’s eyes widened with shock and instead of pushing him away, the subject surrendered.

 

At first and then he began to clumsily snog back growing more dominant with every heartbeat.

 

That is until Nemo broke the kiss to see a very red-faced Granger. He smirked, “I’m sure you found that very… educational. I’ll be sure to find an appropriate book. I’m sure you’ll share it. Unless you get impatient and chose to ask Parkinson.” He taunted.

 

Granger sputtered and Potter was still clearly in shock.

 

To give them time to process, he sauntered off but he sensed the cretin and his posse’s magic so he used a spell to cloak himself from them sight and sound.

 

“You… whore! He’s the ruddy enemy! I don’t know why you are so enamored with him. You should be celebrating and hanging out with your own kind. If you didn’t enter yourself, then maybe he did to get you alone like this.”

 

Nemo was surprised that while the other two, Smith and Macmillan were clearly just uncomfortable, the cretin seemed aroused and disgusted.

 

“I...” Harry’s eyes narrowed. “I am not a whore. There is nothing wrong with being curious. I asked a question and I suppose this was Nemo’s way of answering it.”

 

“What did you ask? Him to fuck you?”

 

“No, but he offered.” Harry retorted. “I said,”

 

“That he’s a million years too early and you’ve got better taste.” The cretin spat.

 

“No actually, I asked why anyone would pretend to be a nice person just to get sex. He said that if I wanted to know if it was worth it, he’d show me. If sex is anywhere near as good as a kiss, I can see why some people might do anything to have it. We’re not friends anymore, you’ve made that quite clear. What I do has nothing to do with you. You have no say in who my friends are or how I spend my time. I’ll snog whoever I feel like and I think that I really did make a poor choice when I decided you were my friend. You’re so busy trying to use me to outshine your actually intelligent brothers, that you merely look pathetic.”

 

Nemo was surprised at how his subject was reacting.

 

“What about Hermione? Do you think that letting that freak kiss him was a good idea?” the cretin asked turning his fury on Granger.

 

“Harry is mature enough to decide if he wants to kiss and whom. Nemo’s been a better friend then you because he insists that Harry apply himself. He might not always be the nicest person but he is willing to tell us things about the Wizarding world that you won’t.”

 

“Like what? That it’s okay to whore yourself to the enemy?”

 

“No, that it’s okay for a girl to like other girls or for boys to like boys.”

 

“Just because some thing’s legal doesn’t make it right.” The cretin whined. “I didn’t tell you because it’s disgusting. People like that are never decent, they seduce people and make them make bad choices.”

 

“I have homework to do and a task I don’t want to but have to prepare for. Go away Ron, you’re not going to distract me.”

 

“You’ve become as arrogant as Malfoy since you started hanging out with that Tartarean freak.”

 

Potter’s eyes darkened, his magic crackled ominously and had a dark hint to it. “Never use that word around me again. Our friendship is dead to me, there is nothing that you could do convince me to ever be your friend. Smith, Macmillan, get him out of my sight.”

 

Smith and Macmillan must have had more common sense then the cretin because they dragged him away.

 

His subject had gotten far more interesting…

 

So, he wasn’t just some goody-two-shoes wizard after all…

 

If he had any possibility of being more than just an annoying Gryffindor that was a talent that he should definitely nurture.

 

He really should have guessed, he mentally chided himself. Potter was a Parseltongue and while that meant a powerful wizard in most circles, it also did imply the possibility of talents in Dark Magic. He shifted into his serpentine form and was content to hide himself among the books to keep an eye on the two.

 

 

  
 


	12. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Task approaches

 

Chapter 11

 

 

Being statistically ‘children’ though his impressions of Potter and Urquhart were that they had matured far faster than any ‘child’ their age, Nemo decided to give them dragon lessons…

 

He grabbed both Hogwarts Champions as well as Sasashima and dragged them out to the Quidditch pitch.

 

He shifted into his Desert Horned Viper animagus form, shivering slightly as Sasashima used his magic to turn his rattle into thorny spines more like the Horntail’s knife-like tail spines and to give him wings as well as breathe fire. Sasashima also increased his size as well…

 

“What is this about?” Urquhart grumbled.

 

“ _We’re going to practice to face a dragon. I’m the dragon_.”

 

Sasashima’s boy toy finished placing the ‘eggs’ hiding a differently colored one among them.

 

Potter frowned, “Is this safe?”

 

“ _Unlike a dragon, I won’t actually try to kill you_.”

 

Just like that Nemo bullied them into ‘training’…

 

Only to end up encased in some sort of conjured diamond chains for his pains by Urquhart who sauntered over to fish out the egg to Nemo’s annoyance.

 

Urquhart shrugged as he replaced the egg and removed the chains which had included a muzzle as well.

 

The flame-breathing jutsu had worn off so Nemo spit poison at the Slytherin instead.

 

Urquhart wiped it off snorting, “That was petty.”

 

Then the ‘Lazy Prefect’ left in his usual surly mood with his very large snake Abaddon slithering at his side.

 

Next was Potter’s turn.

 

He chose to use a broom and tried to outfly Nemo’s winged serpent self only to succeed far too quickly for Nemo’s pride.

 

That settled, Nemo shifted back and had Sasashima remove the spells.

 

Potter thanked him as he should and then they headed back to the castle in silence.

 

XooooooX

 

The morning of the Triwizard Tournament’s First Task dawned cool but clear.

 

Not bad for dreary Scotland but not exactly Nemo’s favorite sort of weather.

 

They used the holiday to distract Potter and get his homework done. The Muggle-raised, Magical Society-inept wizard was easily distracted and well, the longer they made him forget the dragons the better.

 

Once lunch time rolled around, Potter’s anxiety seemed to return…

 

Granger forced a calming draught down his throat and shook him, “You’re a Gryffindor! You can do this! I believe in you.”

 

The Gryffindor Quidditch team, Longbottom, Thomas and Finnigan echoed her words.

 

Redshee tried to say the same only to have cretin grab her ear and start a lecture. Her response was to start up a wail about her brother bullying her causing hair twin to hex them both into silence.

 

Good riddance.

 

Although Nemo would highly prefer it if both were dead rather than merely silenced. Unfortunately, eliminating students of their host school wasn’t within the parameters of their mission to Nemo’s annoyance…

 

To his surprise after examining his wand, Wandie had asked if they could meet up after the First Task to eat dinner together.

 

While eating with his source would be his first choice, since his secondary mission was to stay close to Potter, Nemo had considered refusing but couldn’t do it.

 

Though he did wonder why Wandie said ‘private’, it made him think there was an impending attack, an assassination…

 

He would have to deal with his dragon first of course…

 

XooooooX

 

The General, Professor McGonagall, Madame Maxime, High Master Karkaroff and Professor Snape culled the Champions from the herd of students to escort them separately to a large garishly striped monstrosity of a tent.

 

They were left by Maxime and Karkaroff, while the other staff members stayed.

 

Bagman welcomed them in a grating voice, his eyes were somewhere between eye-fucking the French Veela Beauxbatons Champion and undressing her in his mind.

 

Delacour was wearing a quilted silk-covered jersey and was tastefully dressed in sporting clothing so his despicable behavior reflected poorly on the Judge’s character.

 

“The Task is to test your daring, so you will each be facing a dragon. You will be judged on your speed and cleverness in retrieving your objective: a golden egg hidden among the dragon’s other eggs. Ladies first.” Bagman said preening.

 

Delacour reached into the golden silk bag and delicately removed a charmed miniature dragon.

 

She had a green dragon prancing around her palm known as a Romanian Longhorn and a golden number ‘2’ hung from its neck.

 

“Youngest next!” Bagman said with false brightness.

 

Nemo scowled as he stalked forward and his hand darted into the golden bag with the quickness of a cobra strike.

 

He removed a dragon that could only be the Portuguese Longsnout because of its ‘crown’ of horns on its head and it had golden ‘5’. This meant of course that Nemo would be last…

 

Interesting…

 

Harry’s spine seemed so tight that it might snap under pressure as he stumbled forward, his eyes narrow and his teeth worrying his lip in his nervousness.

 

However, his nervousness was slowly growing into anger and giving a dark taste to his magic…

 

The two Hogwarts champions had been abandoned and forced into their roles by the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress who ought to have looked out for them. If anything, this experience had furthered Urquhart’s distrust of certain persons and his worse looks were aimed at McGonagall rather than Dumbledore…

 

This made him far more interested in Potter and Urquhart then he had expected…

 

The dragon that Potter removed was the Hungarian Horntail that acted very much like an angry cat but it had a tail that possessed spikes that were sharper than a hippogriff talon and a golden number ‘4’.

 

The anger flowed into determination.

 

It was now Urquhart’s turn, he hissed his displeasure under his breath in Parseltongue as he reached into the golden bag.

 

Neither Potter nor Nemo expected for Urquhart to draw the arguably second most dangerous dragon present…

 

Last to draw was Durmstrang’s champion Krum.

 

He drew a red dragon that Nemo recognized as a Catalonian Fireball.

 

Krum looked a bit annoyed at that…

 

Curious, had he been hoping for a different dragon?

 

The adults slipped away.

 

“Harry, are you there?” came the hushed but trembling tones of Granger.

 

“Hermione?”

 

Granger burst through the tent wall to hug him. “Be safe!”

 

The tent wall fluttered and standing there looking a bit lost was Wandie.

 

“I…wasn’t going to come…then I saw Granger headed this way and I thought I ought to at least wish you luck.”

 

To Nemo’s irritation, there was a camera flash.

 

“Ah young love, how long have you been together Potter?”

 

“Hermione and I? In love? You’re drunk, aren’t you? She’s like my sister…” Harry sputtered.

 

“What do you say Granger?”

 

“Harry’s like my baby brother, you’re disgusting. Harry made it quite clear he wasn’t going to be interviewed, so clear out.”

 

Skeeter twittered like they were both in denial, “I see that the Tournament is a success in your case, you and Ollivander seem to have had a connection since the Wand Weighing Ceremony. It appears he has become your personal cheerleader.”

 

Nemo’s heckles were up, “Ms. Skeeter, now would be a very good time to leave. We’ve made our opinion on being interviewed quite clear. If you print anything not related directly to the First Task, I will sue you myself. Rest assured, I will win.”

 

Snape appeared and herded both Skeeter and her dopey photographer away.

 

XooooooX

 

They were summoned by whistles to face their dragon with Krum being called up first.

 

They didn’t get much sense of what was happening because you couldn’t exactly hear Bagman’s likely imbecilic commentary over the roaring.

 

Eventually Krum reappeared and Delacour was summoned by a whistle.

 

What did they think they were? Dogs?

 

What they could hear this time was still garbled nonsense…

 

Then it was Urquhart’s turn.

 

He took the second least amount of time to return making it Potter’s turn next.

 

Potter had himself and Urquhart shadowing him out to the stadium in their animagi forms which were both snakes and Nemo failed to find surprising after all.

 

Predictably, Potter summoned his broom and in a much longer fashion in comparison with their ‘practice’ eventually managed to get the golden egg away from the very dangerous looking Hungarian Horntail.

 

Unfortunately, unlike Urquhart who managed to escape unscathed from his possibly vicious Ukrainian Ironbelly, Potter ended up with a deep slash in retaliation for invading a nest.

 

That very intriguing Dark Witch who was now his subject’s healer appeared to treat Potter’s wound, she looked right at the both of them and pushed Potter in their direction after his score was announced.

 

Reluctantly, Nemo had to leave Potter in Urquhart’s company while he went to face his own dragon.

 

It was far larger than he had expected and the crown of horns might have been intimidating to a lesser wizard…

 

He ignored the twittering crowd as he conjured some gems and absently cast the gemino charm wandlessly and non-verbally before hurling them as far as he could.

 

His overly powered charm caused the pressure of the gems on the ground and each other to rapidly turn a handful of gems into a very quickly growing pile of treasure.

 

While the treasure seemed to be distracting the dragon, Nemo fashioned a fake egg before slinking over to the nest behind the dragon as a snake. He used the switch charm to obtain the real golden egg.

 

It didn’t take long of course and Nemo was intimidating enough that one glare at each of the judges got him full marks. Fifty out of fifty…

 

The General and his fellow Tartareans seemed pleased at that.

 

Bagman invited the attendees to join them on the twenty-fifth of February for the Second Task as well as reminding them of the Yule Ball.

 

Nemo slunk off to return to the tent.

 

Bagman appeared and congratulated them while rubbing his beefy hands together.

 

“Well that was something…five Champions, five dragons and not one of you the same. You have a lovely voice Miss Delacour…” Bagman drawled. “I never would have expected someone to attempt to communicate with a dragon like that Mr. Krum.”

 

Krum snorted, “I didn’t attempt, Carmesina has long been a resident of the dragon preserve that my uncle manages. I was speaking to her, it’s a family gift.”

 

Clearly Krum was using a translation charm because the retort lacked his usual speech mannerisms.

 

“I was surprised at your skill Urquhart, transfiguring an Ironbelly into a statue? That was a fine piece of magic, a pity you lost points for failing to return the dragon to its normal state.”

 

“Where would be the fun in that?” Urquhart drawled, “I’m not the Lazy Prefect for no reason.”

 

“As for you Potter, you might have a bright future in Quidditch. A shame Krum probably missed seeing you fly.”

 

“I may like flying,” Potter said testily, “but that doesn’t mean I want to play Quidditch forever.”

 

“The scores are thus Nemo of Tartarus with fifty points, Viktor Krum of Durmstrang with forty-eight, Aodhan Urquhart of Hogwarts with forty-five, Harry Potter of Hogwarts with forty-two and Miss Fleur Delacour with thirty-seven. The clue for the Second Task lies within your Golden Eggs. You have two months to puzzle it out. I will see you at the Yule Ball; don’t forget to bring dates…”

 

Then with another creepy look at Delacour, Bagman was thankfully gone.

 

Potter found himself surrounded by his dormmates minus the cretin as well as his House Quidditch team.

 

Urquhart received begrudgingly offered congratulations from his own House, seeming surprised when one Blaise Zabini offered his nervously before being dragged away by Malfoy.

 

This was rather boring…

 

Nemo’s own fellow Tartareans also offered their own reluctant congratulations but that smug look on the General’s face almost made the trouble worth it.

 

Wandie looked on with a strange expression, when their eyes met he received a thumbs up and then disappeared into the crowd.

 

Nemo would be glad for Monday when classes would resume even if he still felt the need to shadow Potter everywhere he went…

 

 


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

 

Nemo didn’t agree to Wandie’s request for dinner, the night of the First Task.

 

He made him wait on an answer and then after curfew, accepted if Wandie agreed to go out the next night.

 

Both were seemingly of age and as long as they returned to their respective Towers then there was little anyone could do.

 

Nemo wanted to know just who this subtle wizard was and why he was interested in him. Keeping this target off balanced seemed the best way to discern his intentions...

 

XooooooX

 

He’d considered Harry’s new-found ability to tell the cretin off had something to do with the word ‘freak’.

 

After all, Harry hadn’t really gotten angry or had his magic even feel Dark until the cretin said that word.

 

There was a story there, gaining a subject’s confidence was part of Tartarus’ curriculum but he found himself actually thinking about Potter in a similar context to Sasashima. He wasn’t exactly pleased to find he was building bonds with them, he didn’t like the idea of exerting the effort that his lectures claimed such bonds deserved. He just didn’t have the proper emotional attachment that most would, hence why he was assigned to the Tartarean barracks that translated as ‘assassin’.

 

His musing was interrupted by the approach of Wandie’s magic.

 

Another disturbing thing about said wizard, he recognized the feel of his magic even when he wasn’t truly a part of his mission.

 

Having sat through many of the subject and his constant companion Granger’s classes, including their elementary level practical lessons on subjects such as summoning charms and introduction to cross-species transfigurations.

 

He was only a year younger and yet was at least two years ahead of them in what Hogwarts called NEWT level courses.

 

Nemo would have felt so restrained by such education, he was quite lucky to be the ward of the General.

 

Although he wondered just why his guardian was certain his origins were here…

 

It wasn’t because he was the General’s ward that he had been assigned on this mission, he was given more chances then most but still managed to exceed the missions’ expectations.

 

“So, you really do want to go to dinner with me?” Wandie blurted out.

 

“Would I have accepted at all, if I didn’t?” Nemo drawled.

 

“I suppose not…” the older wizard swallowed.

 

They were appropriately dressed for the late November weather as they exited the castle.

 

Using the taller wizard as a wind shield, Nemo silently accompanied the adopted wizard to Hogsmeade.

 

Having arrived at night and chosen not to visit Hogsmeade because it didn’t appeal to him as relevant to his mission, Nemo was surprised how much more relaxed the wandcrafter was.

 

“It looks different in the day; some people say that Hogsmeade looks like a muggle Christmas card. Although it is the only all-magic settlement in Britain…”

 

“What do muggles have to do with anything?” Nemo asked surly.

 

Wandie flinched, “Not much, though my adopted parents have Muggle ancestry. Grandfather David was a Muggleborn and Grandfather Malcolm’s father was a Muggle vicar.”

 

“Ah,” Nemo said noncommittally.

 

“There is our village bookstore, **Tomes and Scrolls**. We have two cauldron shops; **Potage’s** and **Ceridwen’s**. **Magic Neep** is the greengrocer’s while **Dogwood and Fool’s Cap** is our local herbologist’s shop but **Slug and Jigger Apothecary** deals more with potions ingredients and potions as well, I believe like much of the village belongs to the Woods. The local **Daily Prophet** , Owl Post and Wizarding Wireless offices are there. There is **Splintwitches** that is haunted by Scottish Quidditch players and enthusiasts, while **Honeydukes** is for sweets. That’s me da’s shop, Deron makes the wands while papa Mike handles the books and seeks out the best wood and wand core possibilities. I had to find some of my own because we didn’t a few of what I wanted, papa Mike helped me there.” Wandie blurted out nervously.

 

At least he seemed nervous, observing people was part of his experience but he was far more used to seeing them interacting with persons not himself. Nemo preferred stealth and assassinations to interacting with people. Hence why he disliked those social experiments with the Salem witches. The only good thing was that he and Sasashima could talk in a warded bubble and talk shit on everyone else or any topic that interested them at the time.

 

“What is the purpose of this commentary?” Nemo drawled.

 

“Well you are a guest… and this is probably your first visit to Hogsmeade. I grew up here of course so I know it quite well.”

 

“Where are we going?”

 

“There is this nice restaurant my parents go to sometimes… The Orchid. We’re one of the oldest families so we have a table. I know we never use it for lunch… they always order from **Brews and Stews** or **Three Broomsticks** instead.” Wandie blurted out.

 

For a seemingly ‘small’ town, it was a rather nice restaurant. Clearly it was of a higher-class clientele then he might have expected.

 

They were immediately escorted to a reserved table, set in a dim back corner but with excellent sightlines to all of the entrances and exits.

 

Nemo found himself begrudgingly impressed…

 

He just wasn’t really the restaurant type, hiding invisible in his animagus form to gain information and then disappear was more his preference. Although there were incidents were he was required to flirt and seduce a target in public where he could possibly slip his poison into the meal and have it blamed on the restaurant. Other times, he had to meet with a client while both were using some measure of protection from identification…

 

Water and hot bread with fresh butter was provided of course, before their preferences were asked.

 

They were left with expensive parchment menus that bore the restaurant’s fare in fancy silver script.

 

“The prime rib is good… so is the steak… and the shepherd’s pie. I always get the Roast Aberdeen Angus Beef with Rumbledethumps.”

 

“Rumble-what’s?” Nemo scowled.

 

“It’s a Scottish dish of potatoes, cabbage and onions.” Wandie shrugged.

 

“Ah… I’ll take the Mutton ribs with red potatoes and asparagus.”

 

Wandie flagged over a wait staff and gave their order.

 

Nemo haughtily demanded a pinot noir as well.

 

The witch frowned at him.

 

Nemo pulled out his card that verified that according to the Joint Ministry of North America that he was of age. It also bore the seal of the Ministry coupled with that of Tartarus, usually he was accompanied by an obvious adult and was under a glamour so this rarely came up.

 

The witch nodded accepting it and left.

 

“I rarely have wine unless my fathers’ order it…” Wandie murmured.

 

“What is the point of this?” Nemo asked gesturing at the restaurant at large.

 

“It’s…a date?” the older wizard swallowed.

 

“You do realize that while I am legally of age, I am still only thirteen until February.” Nemo wasn’t much for pussy-footing.

 

“Wizards live a long time… so age isn’t important. I’m barely seventeen as it is, three years isn’t so much. My birthday was the day after Samhain so I couldn’t have entered the tournament if I wanted to.” Wandie admitted nervously.

 

“As long as you’re aware that I’m officially here just for the Tournament…” Nemo said as he buttered a roll absently.

 

“That doesn’t mean that you can’t have a bit of fun, Hogwarts is officially hosting the tournament and I’m more than willing to be a host. I know you’re a guest of Gryffindor and you hang out with that Potter kid but if you want spend time with someone more mature…” Wandie offered.

 

“Adult companionship? I wasn’t aware that was part of the Tournament…” Nemo drawled.

 

“What? I meant something less risqué…”  Wandie protested.

 

“Oh and I thought I was getting propositioned again. Though to be fair, he didn’t really understand…”

 

“Potter? That kid?”

 

“He was asking me sex related questions. I am quite a bit more worldly experienced…” Nemo shrugged.

 

“What did you tell him?” Wandie frowned.

 

“He’s fourteen; I said that liking either gender was acceptable, no matter which gender you were. Also that occasionally, you have instances where someone might be born the wrong gender. I may have touched on Metamorphmagi a bit.” Nemo snorted.

 

Just what did Wandie think he would have told him?

 

“Oh, well I suppose that is something he ought to know if it’s true he spends the summers with Muggles.” Wandie sighed.

 

“He does, that’s why he’s so clueless. But like Granger, he seems to have potential to be more than just a clueless civilian.” Nemo said smugly, “I didn’t expect to find them intriguing…”

 

“There is more to the kid than meets the eye, everyone was shocked when he was revealed to be a Parseltongue. There were many who believed that he was the Heir of Slytherin and he was attacking Muggleborns. That is until his friend Granger and our prefect Penelope Clearwater were attacked. Clearwater is a pureblood heiress and well, Granger was his best friend.”

 

Nemo already knew about the Parseltongue, hence why he pawned off the accidental summoned wizard-bred snake to the kid.

 

Their meal arrived with the wine, it was satisfactory.

 

Nemo was nearly certain that due to Wandie’s nervousness that this was more of a stereotypical date than any of his other experiences in similar restaurants.

 

They even had dessert at Wandie’s insistence, although when Wandie ordered for them without asking Nemo, he was more than a little annoyed.

 

“It’s the best thing on the menu, if you don’t like it… you can order something else.”

 

Nemo sulked and sipped at his wine, it better be worth it or he’d be hexing Wandie.

 

It was more of a cake then any ‘pudding’ that Nemo had ever had…

 

It was definitely sticky and covered in liquid toffee…

 

He glared at the ‘pudding’, as he silently cast spells to determine if it were ‘safe’ to eat as it free of potions of any kind.

 

His dermal set tattoo that resembled a ring hadn’t reacted but some potions were subtle and needed spells to be located. As an Assassin in training, he’d learned this and more…

 

The cake was free of potions and poisons, he took a very small bite while Wandie looked on anxiously.

 

Nemo finished his bite scowling, “I’m not fond of toffee.” He levitated the plate and the toffee-covered fork back to the server. “Chocolate cake. Make it snappy. It better be lava after that.”

 

Wandie hung his head, “I really wanted to share my favorite dessert with you…”

 

“You did. Unfortunately, your taste and mine are very different. They better hurry up with that chocolate or this place might end up having some redecoration issues.” Nemo said darkly. “Don’t ever do that again. I don’t appreciate that sort of behavior and it will result in a retaliation hex.”

 

The server returned quickly as if sensing his displeasure with a slice of chocolate lava cake and a new fork.

 

Nemo took a bite and groaned, well after checking the cake of course…

 

“Now that is good…”

 

Wandie seemed to perk up after that.

 

Once they finished dessert, they headed out after pulling on their winter outerwear and trudged back to Hogwarts.

 

This wasn’t a familiar experience for Nemo, he wasn’t even sure how he was supposed to act. Well, how he was expected to react…

 

He wasn’t experienced, despite the attempts to socialize him with activities like tea at Salem. He was more comfortable with assignments that had strict expectations.

 

Even having a ‘friend’ like Cris or even his subject who thought of him as one was daunting enough…

 

Nemo headed up the Great Staircase aiming for Gryffindor Tower.

 

“Wait!”

 

“If you’re planning on walking me to the Tower or something, you’re not obliged.” Nemo scoffed, he was curious if Wandie would try.

 

“We’re both heading to the same floor, the Seventh. The proper thing would be to escort you to Gryffindor Tower since I invited you. If I didn’t end our evening properly, I am quite sure that that my dads would ground me from working on wands next summer. They would claim I had shamed them… besides, I want to. Despite my mistake in my excitement, I did enjoy myself…” Wandie blurted out.

 

“If you insist.” Nemo acted put out but he was surprised that Wandie was that dedicated.

 

They were mostly silent on the way back to Gryffindor Tower, once they arrived, Wandie gave the annoyed Fat Lady the password- which he probably knew because he was supposedly a prefect and turned to take Nemo’s hand kissing his knuckles.

 

“Thank you for accepting my invitation. I would like to do this again, that is if I didn’t muck it up too badly…”

 

“We’ll see.” Nemo muttered before stepping over the edge of the portrait frame and into the common room.

 

“You’re back! How did it go? What was it like? Did he kiss you?”

 

“A date! How romantic… “

 

Being ambushed by Granger and Potter was not how he expected this night to end.

 

“Just how did you two learn this?”

 

“He was muttering to himself on the way to and from the champions tent. Plus, he looked so excited earlier and well, we saw you walking towards Hogsmeade.” Granger grinned like a Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland.

 

“It was alright, he was nervous the entire time.”

 

“Come on, you have to give us more detail then that…” Harry pouted.

 

“No, I don’t. Not if I don’t feel like it. How did you learn about this anyway?”

 

“He was talking to himself about whether or not you would agree when he followed me to the Champions tent to wish you luck.” Hermione shrugged. “When we saw you two leave together, I figured that you must have said yes. So, we waited.”

 

“Well you can keep waiting.” Nemo snarked. “I don’t kiss and tell.”

 

“You KISSED?” Harry squeaked.

 

Nemo pinched the bridge of his nose, “It’s an expression. It means I don’t make a habit of discussing my dates.”

 

Real dates and not missions, but this was his first _real_ date…

 

“If you wanted to know what goes on during a date, you could try going on one yourself.”

 

The two Gryffindors sputtered.

 

“With whom?” Hermione said once she could form proper words.

 

“For you? Pansy and as for Harry well, why not hair twin? We met up, we walked to Hogsmeade, he bored me with descriptions of the town, we ate at a restaurant,”

 

“Brews and Stews? Three Broomsticks? Madam Puddlefoot’s?”

 

“If you’re just going to interrupt, I don’t have to indulge your curiosity. Actually, he took me to a real restaurant. If he tried to take that frilly place, I might have hexed him on the way back. As it is, he’s still waiting to get hexed but that’s a different story.”

 

“Please give us more… what did he do the warrant being hexed?”

 

“Nothing much, it had something to do with toffee. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to hit the sack…” Nemo said vaguely.

 

“That’s it? We waited for that?”

 

“I didn’t tell you about it because I decided at an irreverent hour and sent him a note. Its merely my business, I didn’t have to tell you anything.”

 

“You barely told us anything.”

 

“I don’t kiss and tell.” Nemo said as he sauntered off leaving to curious lion cubs behind, they could try dating if they were so curious. They were fourteen and fifteen respectively after all…

 

 


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

 

The first week of December arrived and the students but especially the girls could talk about nothing but the Tournament, what they were wearing, who was cute, who they would and wouldn’t agree to go with.

 

Top on the list of would attend with were the five Champions…

 

Even the girls, but especially the bent ones claimed to be flattered at the idea of attending with the Beauxbatons Champion.

 

Thursday morning, the ambient Yule Ball conversations tipped Harry over the edge.

 

This panicking needed to stop. Geez, he’d never known a wizard with dark tendencies to be so high-strung.

 

“I’m just a kid, I’m not ready to date. Why do I need one? The girls are like piranhas. They seem to travel in man-eating packs.”

 

“Wow,” Hermione muttered, “misogynist much?”

 

Nemo slapped him, “Being sexist is just as distasteful as being a homophobe. Have I taught you nothing? You don’t have to take a girl if you don’t want to, it’s not a requirement. It isn’t even that hard.” His eyes narrowed and he bit out, “Hey Wandie.”

 

Everyone at Ravenclaw looked at one another in confusion before Ravenclaw Ollivander pointed at himself.

 

“Me?”

 

“Yes you. You have the privilege of escorting me to the Yule Ball. I expect to meet you outside Gryffindor Tower.”

 

Wandie beamed, “It would be my pleasure.”

 

Nemo snorted, “See? Now was that so hard?”

 

“But…I don’t know how to dance?”

 

Nemo glanced up at the Head Table, “McGonagall, you hear that? Your Champion can’t dance. Surely, you have something planned to remedy this lack in knowledge…”

 

“Of course, we shall discuss it at the end of today’s lesson.” The Head of Gryffindor nodded.

 

Nemo smirked, “See? All settled…”

 

Harry muttered, “What about a date?”

 

“You’ll figure something out… after all, I can’t do everything for you.” Nemo said airily as he escorted them towards the third floor where they were expected to attend a Transfiguration lesson.

 

XooooooX

 

The practical lesson must have been internally timed because it ended exactly seven minutes before the bell was due to ring.

 

For the ridiculously elementary nature of this civilian education, his preference for McGonagall managed to rise ever so slightly.

 

“As our guest, Nemo reminded me we have a Champion in our House. With the Yule Ball fast approaching and those Fourth Year and up expected to turn out to support him we are going to have dance lessons. Due to his Muggle raising, he is likely not the only person in our Esteemed House that does not know how to dance. I know who each Muggle-raised student is, so don’t even try to convince me that you already know.”

 

Finnigan put his hand in the air, “Professor, seanmháthair made sure I learned. Me máthair be the witch in me family.”

 

“You’ll likely be accompanying Thomas after all. If you can teach him to dance, then you clearly know how. Purebloods, especially those from titled families are taught such things at a young age. Miss Brown, would you be interested in assisting?”

 

Finnigan blushed at the comment about ‘accompanying’ Thomas to the lessons, was that because they came as a package or because Finnigan liked Thomas?

 

“Oh, yes professor.” The blonde witch beamed. “Can Pavarti help? I taught her you see.”

 

“Can she lead or does she only follow?” McGonagall frowned.

 

“I prefer to follow but I can lead, I helped my sisters learn.” Pavarti pipped up.

 

“Very well. We’ll practice on Wednesdays and Saturdays until the Yule Ball. Mr. Nemo, will you be joining us?”

 

“It’s just Nemo professor and I suppose as Potter’s shadow, I ought to.” Nemo shrugged faking nonchalance.

 

He wanted a chance to properly investigate the witch, while she was distracted.

 

“I’m not sure if Tartarus,” McGonagall began.

 

“It’s part of our socialization curriculum. We have tea at Salem Witches Institute and are sometimes invited as guests to the joint Yule Ball held between Salem and Tahquamenon Institute.”

 

“Then I suppose you can help me demonstrate.”

 

Nemo inwardly smirked, even as he shrugged indifferently. “It’s better than doing nothing.”

 

“That’s settled. I expect everyone in this classroom after dinner on Friday. The desks will be removed by the house elves of course.”

 

The bell rang.

 

“See you Friday.”

 

Things were going swimmingly.

 

XooooooX

 

Friday arrived far too soon in Harry’s opinion apparently.

 

“This is going to be a disaster…” he groaned.

 

Annoyed, Nemo silently cast a jinx that was a bit like being jolted by static electricity only more painful.

 

“Ouch!” Harry pouted.

 

“Quit whining, it’s a waste of your time and mine.” Nemo retorted as he pushed Harry into the mostly empty Transfiguration classroom.

 

By mostly empty, he meant that there were no desks, just lines of chairs on either side of the classroom and an impatient Head of Gryffindor.

 

“Come on, no dawdling Mr. Potter. I hope you are all taking this seriously, I won’t be pleased if you all are out there acting like barbarians. Come in and take a seat. Mr. Nemo, are you still interested in assisting me?”

 

“It’s just Nemo.”

 

“Nemo then.” McGonagall held out her hand.

 

Nemo flicked his own and the wizarding wireless began to play before he immediately began leading the Transfiguration professor into a sweeping waltz.

 

To Nemo’s slight annoyance, there were those who were complaining that he was already ‘taken’ as it were since he had a date.

 

After a demonstration dance, Nemo joined McGonagall in pairing up the students.

 

Some were not especially pleased when he paired them up; Nemo had a rather accurate ‘gaydar’ as the Muggles called it.

 

He did not believe in beards when it wasn’t even an issue to be bent.

 

He was just as vocal and hands on when it came to correcting the dance forms of the other students.

 

Nemo just wasn’t as kind when it came to correcting, he usually used a light shocking charm to let them know they were fucking up before he fixed their form.

 

At least he wasn't Sasashima, he was quite sure that the non-purebloods would not be enjoying learning from Snape.

 

By the end of the first lesson, Nemo was pleased that some of them had managed to at least learn to dance a little.

 

XooooooX

 

Harry was clearly surprised when Diggory the man slut popped over to Ravenclaw table during lunch to ask a Fifth Year witch who Nemo had heard was their Seeker to the Yule Ball.

 

Hair twin paled beneath his freckles and staggered to his feet.

 

“Oy Forge you alright there?” blue twin asked looking confused.

 

“I think I’m going to be sick…” then hair twin was running of the Great Hall with his hand over his mouth.

 

Harry exchanged a look with Nemo and then followed after.

 

Nemo groaned, Gryffindors!

 

He followed the faint presence of subject’s magic.

 

They found hair twin hiding in a secret passage that Harry had shown him on Samhain sniffling.

 

“You really liked that man whore?” Harry asked plopping down next to him while Nemo took a protective stance.

 

George nodded looking miserable, “He asked me out. Was asking all last year, finally said yes at the World Cup.”

 

“I probably should have told you. I wasn’t sure how to mention it… he tried asking out a Slytherin a while back.”

 

“Which one?”

 

“Transfer, named Sasashima.” Harry shrugged.

 

“I was hoping that Cedric would ask me…” hair twin sighed.

 

“You deserve better.” Harry grinned wickedly, “You could take your own Seeker.”

 

Hair twin blinked, “What?”

 

“I don’t have a date and we’re friends, aren’t we?” Harry pouted at him.

 

“Out of the entire school, you’re asking me?” hair twin asked incredulously.

 

“Well, I’m not going with a girl,” Harry made a disgusted face.

 

Nemo rolled his eyes from his seemingly disinterested place on the passage's wall.

 

“I…accept?”

 

Nemo cast a refresher charm at hair twin’s face. “Now go back in there and rub it in that cad’s face.”

 

George grinned wickedly. “How?”

 

“You could always try snogging.” Nemo retorted.

 

The two Gryffindors blinked at one another and then snickered.

 

Nemo rolled his eyes and followed them.

 

“You will attend the ball with me.” Parkinson snipped just as they returned to Gryffindor Table.

 

Before Granger could say anything in response, a Ravenclaw groaned.

 

“Parkinson, that just isn’t how this works. Let me show you, Fred Weasley it would be an honor if you would attend the Yule Ball with me.”

 

George’s eyes widened.

 

Fred blinked, “Huh? You are?”

 

“He’s Michael Corner.” Hermione pipped up.

 

“You’re a Fourth Year?” Fred frowned, “Why me?”

 

“You seem interesting and very different from my House mates.” Michael said his magic tasted honest.

 

“Come off it Michael, why would you be interested in that Quidditch mad idiot?”

 

“As if you have room to talk Rodger. You’re just jealous at Diggory asked Cho before you did.” Michael said coldly.

 

George threw an arm around his twin, “It’s not like it’s a big deal, I’m going with Harry.”

 

Hogwarts exploded.

 

“So not only did you snog that Tartarus git, you’re attending the Yule Ball with George? You really are a pouf!” Ron spat.

 

Longbottom looked at him with disgust, “Oh shut up. You’re just jealous because no girl will go with you and no wizard is that desperate. I think Colin would incinerate his camera before that.”

 

“Who are you going with?” Ron retorted. “Who was desperate enough to go an idiot like you?”

 

“Not that it is any of your business but yes, I have a date. A friend of mine, I didn’t have a date or anyone I felt comfortable asking in my House. She was having really awful day and I thought it would make her happy.”

 

“You have friends?” Ron asked sniggering.

 

“Just because you and Harry were formerly wrapped up in your own little world with Hermione while Dean and Seamus are about the same, doesn’t mean I have to keep to the shadows and have no friends. I am allowed to make friends.” Neville sniffed disdainfully.

 

Nemo leaned over to hiss in Hermione’s ear, “If you refuse to accompany Parkinson, I will hex you.”

 

Hermione sighed, looking put out, “Yes Pansy, I will accompany you.”

 

Parkinson blinked at her. “Really?”

 

“But the next time you try to order me about I will hex you!” Hermione said looking defiant.

 

Parkinson’s eyes flickered, “You’ll hex me?”

 

“On second thought,” Hermione hexed Parkinson anyway, “that's for demanding.  And if you persist in trying to order me about, I'll hex you again.”

 

Parkinson smirked, “I think I can handle a stinging hex.”

 

Hermione’s eyes narrowed, “Then I'll have to ask Nemo to teach me something you'll learn from.”

 

Nemo sniggered, interesting. Apparently, he was influencing Hermione to have Dark tendencies as well. Even if it was _just_ a mild stinging hex.

 

Parkinson heard Nemo laugh from nearby and paled a little.

 

“I will take that into consideration.”

 

Meanwhile, Fred reluctantly agreed to attend with Michael Corner before dragging hair twin away.

 

All Parkinson received from Hermione in regards to her Yule Ball dress was that it was blue…

 

Which of course had the Slytherin witch sulking as she headed back to Slytherin table at the opposite end of the Great Hall…

 

If Malfoy’s expression was any indication, Parkinson had broken rank and her date was not considered ‘acceptable’.

 

Not that he really cared, if this was a prank on Parkinson’s part, which he was fairly sure it wasn’t, but if it was he would teaching Hermione some rather nasty hexes…

 

 

 


End file.
